Emeka Ike to sue Lere Olayinka over leaked INEC records

Emeka Ike, the ace actor, says he will take legal action against Lere Olayinka, media aide to Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, over what he described as a “violation of my privacy rights”.

The controversy erupted after Olayinka reportedly shared details from the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including information relating to Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo state to Abuja.

The disclosure came amid questions surrounding Ike’s eligibility to contest for a house of representatives seat in the Federal Capital Territory following his participation in recent political activities.

The incident has generated widespread public concern, with many Nigerians raising questions about the security of the nation’s electoral database and the circumstances under which the information became public.

Addressing journalists, Leonard Adeh, Ike’s lawyer described the leak as a grave breach of privacy and warned that appropriate legal and civil actions would follow.

He said the publication of the actor’s personal records amounted to a serious infringement of his rights and could have broader implications for public confidence in sensitive national databases.

According to Adeh, the legal team has begun engaging relevant law enforcement agencies while also considering civil litigation that could result in substantial damages.

Speaking during an interview with News Central Television, Ike expressed shock over the incident, saying it left him feeling vulnerable and unsafe.

“For the first time, I felt insecure. It was shocking and disturbing. I felt unsafe. It was an abuse of power,” he said.

The actor added that letters had already been sent to Olayinka, INEC, his political party, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force to formally document the matter.

Ike maintained that the case would proceed to court, insisting that the issue goes beyond personal discomfort and touches on the protection of citizens’ private information.

Meanwhile, INEC has denied claims of a large-scale breach or external hacking of its Continuous Voter Registration database. The commission stated that preliminary findings pointed to the misuse of valid internal access credentials by authorised personnel rather than a cyberattack.

The controversy has also attracted reactions from political stakeholders, including Atiku Abubakar, who called for an independent and transparent investigation into the incident.

Ike recently declared his intention to contest for the Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency seat under the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general election, saying he hopes to contribute to national development through public service.