The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for attempting to frustrate a legitimate Freedom of Information (FOI) request by demanding an outrageous fee of over N1.5 billion for a copy of the National Register of Voters and list of polling units in Nigeria, describing its demand as a blatant attempt to weaponize cost as a tool for denying access to vital public information.
In a statement available to ITREALMS in Lagos, MRA’s Executive Director, Mr. Edetaen Ojo, noted that “the National Register of Voters and the list of polling units are arguably the most essential public records needed by civil society organizations, political parties, election observers, and the media to effectively monitor the electoral process,” arguing that by “placing such a colossal financial barrier in the way of a requester, INEC is deliberately hindering the public's right and ability to scrutinize its operations, thereby compromising transparency and avoiding accountability.”
