Nollywood actor and politician Emeka Ike has vowed to take legal action against Lere Olayinka, media aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, over the controversial leak of his voter registration details from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) database.
The dispute erupted after Olayinka shared information relating to Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja, while questioning the actor’s eligibility to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives.
Reacting to the incident, Ike described the disclosure as a serious violation of his privacy and said it left him feeling vulnerable and unsafe.
“For the first time in my life, I felt insecure. It was shocking and deeply disturbing. I felt unsafe. It felt like an abuse of power,” Ike said.
His lawyer, Leonard Adeh, also condemned the incident, describing it as a criminal breach of privacy rights and a matter with wider implications for Nigeria’s democratic institutions and national security.
According to Adeh, the actor’s legal team is already pursuing appropriate legal and civil actions while cooperating with relevant law enforcement agencies investigating the matter.
“This is a serious violation of his rights, and appropriate legal actions will be taken. There will be consequences for this reckless action,” Adeh stated.
The controversy has sparked widespread concern over the security of voter information after INEC confirmed that the leaked data was accessed through the misuse of valid internal credentials rather than an external cyberattack.
Ike disclosed that his legal representatives have already written to Lere Olayinka, INEC, the DSS, the Police and his political party, ensuring the matter is formally documented.
The actor, who recently declared his intention to contest for the Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency seat under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said the incident raises troubling questions about privacy, data protection and abuse of access within public institutions.
The case continues to attract national attention as investigations into the voter data leak unfold.
