22.7.2026
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday advised Nollywood actor Emeka Ike and Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to explore an out-of-court settlement for a N10 billion privacy breach suit brought by the thespian.
Justice Salim Ibrahim gave the advice to the parties, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Leonard Adeh, who appeared for Mr Ike, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for further mention.
INEC’s lawyer, Solomon Umoh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said all their processes, including a counter affidavit responding to the suit had been filed and served on the parties.
Mr Adeh acknowledged receipt of the commission’s processes which he said were only served on them on Tuesday.
He said they were still within time to respond.
Justice Ibrahim then advised the parties to see if they could also explore amicable settlement out of court.
Responding, Mr Olayinka’s lawyer, Akpama Ekwe, who had also filed his counter-affidavit, told the court that the question about reconciliation should be answered by the applicant.
Mr Adeh then stated that if the respondents (Mr Olayinka and INEC) made an offer for settlement, “they are very much available to amicable settlement.”
The lawyer said until such offer comes, the matter should be adjourned for definite hearing.
The judge then adjourned the matter until 12 October for hearing by agreement of all the counsel.
In May, the FCT minister’s aide allegedly mocked Mr Ike by leaking his confidential voter registration details on social media via an X post.
The post reportedly showed details of Mr Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to the nation’s capital.
Meanwhile, Mr Ike, through Mr Adeh, sued Mr Olayinka and INEC.
He asked the court to declare that Mr Olayinka’s decision to publish his data on X without his approval “amounts to a gross breach and violation of the applicant’s fundamental right to privacy and the protection of personal data”. NAN