INEC Tells Court Voter Information isn't Confidential in Emeka Ike's ₦10bn lawsuit

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that voter information is not confidential, as it seeks the dismissal of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike's ₦10 billion lawsuit over the alleged unlawful disclosure of his voter registration details.

Ike filed the suit after his voter registration information was published online during a political controversy. He argues that the disclosure violated his constitutional right to privacy and Nigeria's Data Protection Act, and is demanding ₦10 billion in damages from both INEC and Lere Olayinka, a media aide to the Minister of the FCT.

In its response, INEC maintains that voter information is public and not confidential, arguing that the case lacks merit. The commission has asked the court to dismiss the suit. This position comes despite INEC previously acknowledging that Ike's records were accessed through authorised internal credentials that were allegedly misused, while insisting there was no external hack of its voter database.

The case is expected to determine whether the publication of voter registration records in these circumstances amounts to a breach of privacy and whether INEC can be held liable for the alleged disclosure.