INEC Defends Release of Voter Information in Emeka Ike Privacy Lawsuit
Nollywood actor Emeka Ike has sued INEC and Lere Olayinka over alleged privacy violation concerning his voter registration details. Both defendants argue that the information published is not confidential and is made public in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026. The case highlights the intersection of public figures, political aspirations, and data privacy in Nigeria.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, have filed their responses in a Federal High Court case brought by Nollywood actor and House of Representatives aspirant Emeka Ike over an alleged violation of his right to privacy.
Ike is seeking N10 billion in damages, claiming his voter registration details were unlawfully shared on social media without his consent after screenshots showing the transfer of his voter registration from Imo State to the FCT surfaced online.
Olayinka argued that the information he published, including Ike's name and passport photograph, was already in the public domain and did not require the actor's consent. He maintained that, as a public figure and political aspirant, Ike could not reasonably claim harm from the publication of information associated with his electoral participation.
He also cited provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandate the public display of voter registers ahead of elections.
INEC, in its defence, stated that the voter information in question is neither classified nor confidential under existing electoral and data protection laws. The commission said it is legally empowered to compile, display, and publish voter information in accordance with its constitutional mandate, while insisting that the social media post did not originate from its database.
INEC further maintained that it has not breached its duty to protect voters' personal data and continues to secure information stored on its restricted platforms.