A public affairs analyst Adeolu Oyebode, has sued the chairperson of Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State for allegedly snubbing a Freedom of Information request regarding the cost of a newly refurbished gate at the local government secretariat and other financial records of the council.
In an X post on Wednesday, Mr Oyebode said speculations about the cost of the gate project, ranging from N15 million to N35 million, prompted him to invoke the Ekiti State Freedom of Information Law to request the local government’s financial details, contract, budget, and audit report.
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He said the chairman, Adamolekun Egbejoda, however, ignored his request which led him to escalate the matter to the Ekiti State High Court.
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Both Mr Oyebode and Mr Egbejoda are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Oyebode emphasised that the suit is not about personal vendetta or party politics but about promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
He said loyalty to party should never override loyalty to the people and one’s conscience.
“And let me be clear: this is not about the governor. Some have pinned my audacity, to fighting the governor, for reasons best known to them. In fact, one thing many of us will agree on is that Mr. Governor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO), does not touch a kobo from the Local Government allocations in Ekiti State. He has maintained a principled stance of non-interference,” he wrote.
According to the copy of the lawsuit posted on his X page, Mr Oyebode asked the court to determine whether he does not have the right to demand information about the local government’s activities, including audited financial reports, approved budget for 2025, and statements of account showing federal allocations from March 2024 to date.
He also asked the court to rule on whether the local government chairman can lawfully refuse his request.
If the court resolves the queestions in his favour, Mr Oyebode urged the court to declare he is entitled to the information under Ekiti State law and that the defendant lacks the authority to withhold it.
Furthermore, he asked the court to issue an order compelling the defendant to release the requested information and documents, as well as an order for the defendant to pay N1 million in costs.
FOI requests often ignored
The Freedom of Information Act 2011 was a landmark legislation that empowers Nigerian citizens to access publicly held information as it aimed to promote transparency and accountability.
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However, despite its enactment as a law to be complied with, FOI requests by journalists and concerned citizens are still being treated as mere suggestion.
It’s implementation has been hindered as government agencies and officials often ignore requests for information, and sometimes even disregard court orders.
In April, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal version of the law, the Freedom of Information Act, which predated those enacted by Ekiti and other states, is applicable across Nigeria’s 36 states.
The Supreme Court ruling effectively blew away the execuse many states had hidden under over the years to legitimise their secrecy with public records in their custody.
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