The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a ₦10 billion fundamental rights lawsuit filed by Nollywood actor Emeka Ike against Lere Olayinka, an aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Salim Ibrahim dismissed the suit on Wednesday after upholding preliminary objections raised by the respondents over the competence and proper constitution of the case. The court also ruled that Ike had failed to provide sufficient proof to establish his claims.
How the Dispute Began
Ike had approached the court alleging that Olayinka violated his right to privacy by publishing details of his voter registration on his X account in May.
The actor claimed that the publication exposed personal information relating to the transfer of his voter registration from Imo State to the Federal Capital Territory without his consent.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026, Ike sought ₦10 billion in general and aggravated damages. He also asked the court to order Olayinka to remove the disputed post and issue a written apology.
The actor relied on provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, arguing that his privacy and personal data rights had been violated.
He further accused INEC of failing in its responsibility to protect voters’ personal information and argued that the commission’s response to the controversy amounted to an admission of liability.
What INEC and Wike’s Aide Said
INEC and Olayinka denied the allegations and urged the court to dismiss the suit.
The electoral commission maintained that the information at the centre of the dispute was neither classified nor confidential. It also denied that the publication resulted from a breach of its database or unauthorised access to its information technology systems.
Olayinka, for his part, argued that the material he published contained Ike’s name and passport photograph, which he claimed were already publicly available. He also denied obtaining the information unlawfully or breaching any duty of confidentiality owed to the actor.
Both respondents challenged the legal basis of Ike’s claims and disputed his demand for compensation.
Ike Had Political Ambitions
The lawsuit emerged amid Ike’s political ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections. The actor sought to contest the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives under the Nigerian Democratic Congress but lost the party’s primary election.
With the court’s ruling, Ike’s ₦10 billion claim against Olayinka and INEC has been dismissed.
The case has brought renewed attention to questions surrounding the publication of voter information, the protection of personal data and the legal responsibilities of electoral authorities.
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