₦10 Billion Suit: ‘Not Confidential’ – INEC Denies Exposing Emeka Ike’s Data

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the voter information at the centre of a ₦10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by Nollywood actor and House of Representatives aspirant, Emeka Ike, is neither classified nor confidential.

INEC maintained that the disputed information was published in line with the Electoral Act 2026 and that the commission is constitutionally empowered to make voter information available for public scrutiny without first obtaining the consent of registered voters.

The electoral body stated this in a counter-affidavit filed in opposition to Ike’s suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026.

Ike had sued INEC and the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, over the publication of his voter registration details on X.

The actor alleged that the publication breached his fundamental right to privacy and violated protections relating to his personal data.

Through his lawyer, Leonard Adeh, Ike asked the court to declare that Olayinka’s publication of information allegedly obtained from the voter database without his consent amounted to an infringement of his constitutional rights.

He is demanding ₦10bn in damages.

In a counter-affidavit filed through his counsel, Akpama Ekwe, Olayinka denied unlawfully obtaining or publishing confidential information belonging to the actor.

He argued that the information shared was already in the public domain and contained only Ike’s name and passport photograph.

Olayinka further maintained that he owed the applicant no duty of confidentiality.

According to him, a politician seeking elective office could not claim to have suffered trauma from the circulation of information voluntarily submitted as part of the electoral process and already made public through his political activities.

He also relied on Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display and publish the voters’ register before a general election for public scrutiny.

INEC’s counter-affidavit was deposed to by an Assistant Director and Data Protection Officer in its Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, Anthonia Makwe.

The commission said its statutory responsibilities include compiling, maintaining, displaying, publishing, certifying and managing the register of voters in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

It maintained that the information complained of was neither sensitive nor confidential.

INEC also denied that the document allegedly published by Olayinka originated from the commission.

The electoral body insisted that it had not breached its obligation to protect voters’ personal information and had continued to safeguard data in its custody.

The presiding judge adjourned proceedings until October 12, 2026, for further hearing.