Veteran Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike, has reportedly filed a ₦10 billion lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over the alleged unauthorized disclosure of his voter registration information.
The suit, instituted before the Federal High Court in Abuja, follows a controversy that arose after screenshots containing details of Ike’s voter registration transfer were shared on social media by Olayinka.
The information was reportedly obtained from a restricted section of INEC’s voter registration database.
Recall that, the publication triggered widespread public concern, with many Nigerians questioning how sensitive voter information from an administrative portal leaked to the public.
Apparently in response to the development INEC announced an investigation into the incident, stating that preliminary findings suggested the misuse of authorized internal credentials rather than an external cyberattack.
https://x.com/i/status/2066686521256657184
However, Emeka asserts that the disclosure of his personal voter records constitutes a serious offemces. In which he considered as violation of his constitutional right to privacy and protections guaranteed under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
Through his legal team, he seeks a judicial declaration holding both INEC and Olayinka liable for the alleged breach.
While demanding for ₦10 billion naira in general for aggravated damages as compensation.
Emeka requested that the court order Olayinka to delete the social media post and publish a public apology in national newspapers and across his social media platforms.
Notably, the lawsuit has reignited discussions about data protection, privacy rights, and the security of Nigeria’s electoral database.
However, neither INEC nor Lere Olayinka had publicly responded to the suit as at the time of this reporting.
By Musekir Faisat Omolara
