The Independent National Electoral Commission has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the voter information at the centre of a N10bn fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Nollywood actor and House of Representatives aspirant, Emeka Ike, is neither classified nor confidential.
INEC argued that the voter information in dispute is published in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026 and that it is legally empowered to make such information available to the public without obtaining the consent of registered voters.
The commission made the submission in a counter-affidavit deposed to by an Assistant Director and Data Protection Officer in its Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, Anthonia Makwe, in response to the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1272/2026.
Ike had dragged INEC and Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, before the court over the publication of his voter registration details on X, alleging that it violated his constitutional right to privacy. He is seeking N10bn in damages.
Through his lawyer, Leonard Adeh, Ike asked the court to declare that Olayinka’s publication of his voter registration information without his consent amounted to a breach of his right to privacy and protection of personal data.
In response, Olayinka, through his counsel, Akpama Ekwe, argued that the information he published was already in the public domain and was not obtained unlawfully.
He maintained that the post contained only Ike’s name and passport photograph, stressing that he owed the applicant no duty of confidentiality.
Olayinka further contended that a politician seeking elective office could not claim to have suffered trauma from the circulation of information voluntarily submitted during the voter registration process and already made public in his capacity as a public figure.
He also relied on Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates INEC to display and publish the voters’ register ahead of general elections to enable public scrutiny.
In its defence, INEC stated that its statutory duties include compiling, maintaining, displaying, publishing, certifying and managing the national register of voters in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
The commission insisted that the information at the centre of the dispute was neither sensitive nor confidential and added that any document allegedly published by Olayinka did not originate from the commission.
INEC also denied breaching its obligation to safeguard voters’ personal information, maintaining that it had continued to protect all data in its custody in line with its legal responsibilities.
When the matter came up before the court on Tuesday, the trial judge adjourned the case until October 12, 2026, for hearing.
