The federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday, July 21, advised Nollywood actor Emeka Ike and Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike to explore an out-of-court settlement in the N10 billion privacy breach suit filed by the actor.
All parties were represented during the proceedings.
Counsel to Ike, Leonard Adeh, informed the court that the matter was slated for further mention.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Solomon Umoh (SAN), said the commission had filed and served all its processes, including a counter-affidavit in response to the suit. Adeh confirmed receipt of INEC’s processes, stating they were served on Tuesday, July 21, and that his client was still within the time allowed to file a response.
Justice Ibrahim advised the parties to consider resolving the matter amicably outside the courtroom.
Responding, counsel to Olayinka, Akpama Ekwe, said the issue of reconciliation should be determined by the applicant.
Adeh, however, told the court that his client was open to an amicable settlement if the respondents made an offer.
In the absence of such an offer, he urged the court to adjourn the matter for hearing.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until October 12 for hearing, with the agreement of all counsel.
The suit stems from a social media post made by Olayinka in May, in which he published details of Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo state to the FCT after the actor sought to contest the AMAC/Bwari federal constituency house of representatives seat on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general election.
Ike, through his lawyer, is asking the court to declare that the publication of his voter registration details on X without his consent violated his constitutional right to privacy and protections provided under the Nigeria Data Protection Act, (NDPA) 2023, and other relevant laws.
He is also seeking N10 billion in general and aggravated damages against Olayinka and INEC, an order directing the removal of the social media post, and a written apology.
In separate counter-affidavits, INEC and Olayinka urged the court to dismiss the suit.
INEC maintained that the information in question was neither classified nor confidential, arguing that voter registration information is displayed and published in accordance with the electoral Act, 2026, and that the material shared by Olayinka did not originate from the commission.
Olayinka also argued that the information he published was already in the public domain and contained only Ike’s name and passport photograph.
He maintained that he owed the actor no duty of confidentiality and that the publication did not violate any law.
He further argued that Ike voluntarily submitted his information to INEC and presented himself to the public by seeking elective office, adding that the N10 billion claim lacked merit and should be dismissed
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