2 weeks ago
5
…Accuses Commission of Undermining Transparency
By Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos
Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for allegedly frustrating a morganatic Freedom of Information (FOI) petition by demanding a interest of implicit ₦1.5 cardinal for a transcript of the National Register of Voters and the database of polling units crossed the country.
The organisation described the request arsenic an effort to “weaponise cost” and contradict nationalist entree to captious electoral information.
In a statement, MRA’s Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, said the National Register of Voters and the database of polling units are important nationalist documents that alteration civilian nine groups, governmental parties, predetermination observers, and the media to show Nigeria’s electoral process effectively.
Ojo argued that by imposing specified a prohibitive fiscal barrier, INEC was deliberately hindering the public’s close to scrutinise its operations, thereby undermining transparency and accountability.
MRA’s absorption followed INEC’s missive dated October 13, 2025, signed by its Secretary, Ms. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, successful effect to a petition by the instrumentality steadfast of V-C Ottackpukpu & Associates connected October 8, 2025. In the letter, the Commission demanded ₦1,505,901,750 arsenic the outgo of producing the voters’ registry and polling portion list.
Describing the complaint arsenic “excessive and unlawful,” Ojo said Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act limits applicable fees to the modular outgo of duplication oregon transcription, insisting that the magnitude demanded by INEC could not correspond a lawful duplication fee.
He recalled that nether the FOI Implementation Guidelines issued by erstwhile Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), duplication fees were capped astatine ₦10 per page.
According to him, adjacent with 93,469,008 registered voters and 176,846 polling units, the full outgo of reproduction could not attack ₦1.5 cardinal if calculated astatine the approved rate.
Ojo besides referenced the African Commission connected Human and Peoples’ Rights’ 2017 Guidelines connected Access to Information and Elections successful Africa, which necessitate electoral bodies to proactively disclose voters’ rolls and related data. He noted that specified records are apt digitised, making reproduction costs minimal.
He warned that INEC’s action, if allowed to stand, could acceptable a unsafe precedent that undermines the Freedom of Information Act, eroding gains made successful transparency and unfastened governance.
MRA truthful called connected INEC to retreat the interest request and merchandise the requested accusation either escaped of complaint oregon astatine a complaint accordant with the FOI Act and established implementation guidelines.
The station MRA slams INEC implicit N1.5bn interest for voters register appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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