MRA sues FG over failure to disclose Russia World Cup delegates, cost
(Nigeria) Media Rights Agenda, MRA, has dragged the Federal Government
to court over its failure to disclose the lists of Nigerian footballers and
coaches, supporters, government officials and their aides who travelled to
Russia last month for the 2018 World Cup and whose travel expenses were covered
through public funds as well as the total cost to the Government for Nigeria’s
participation in the World Cup.
In three separate suits filed by Mr. Godwin Chigbu of the
law firm of A & E Law Partnership, against the Secretary to the Government
of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports and the Nigeria
Football Federation, NFF, with the Attorney-General of the Federation joined as
a respondent in each suit, MRA is seeking to compel the Federal Government to
furnish it with the information it requested from each of the institutions by
its letter dated June 8, 2018.
MRA had requested details of those scheduled to travel to
Russia under the different categories, including all government officials who
are part of the Federal Government’s delegation, their designations and
institutional affiliations as well as the estimated duration of each person’s
stay in Russia, including the expected date of departure from Nigeria, or other
point of departure, and the expected date of return to Nigeria, or to some
other location, as well as the total cost of each person’s travel to Russia to
the Federal Government for all aspects of the trip for which the Federal Government
would be responsible
It also asked the Government to provide it with details of
their travel expenses, including flights, accommodation, visa costs, living
expenses and other allowances, which will be covered by the Federal Government
or through public funds, either in part or in full.
MRA also asked the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, the Minister of Youths and Sports and the NFF President to indicate
in their responses whether budgetary allocation for Nigeria’s participation in
the 2018 World Cup, including the total cost to the Government, has been
provided for and approved in the 2018 Appropriation Act of the Federal
Government and to specify the head of expenditure to which the costs were being
charged.
In its requests to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the
NFF, MRA asked them to also provide it with details of the sources of funds and
the amount received from each source relating to Nigeria’s participation in the
2018 World Cup as well as the total amount received for this purpose.
The organization also requested details of other in-kind
sponsorships and partnerships received by the institutions or entered into to
participate in the 2018 World Cup, including the coverage of each partnership
or sponsorship.
In the suits instituted against each of the institutions by
a Motion Exparte, MRA is asking the Court to grant it leave to apply for
judicial review by way of an order of mandamus to compel each of the
institutions to furnish it with the information requested from them by MRA
through its letters dated June 8, 2018.
MRA is also claiming against each of the institutions the
sum of N1 million as exemplary and aggravated damages for the unlawful
violation of its right of access to information established and guaranteed by
Sections 1(1) and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 as well as for the
wrongful denial of access to information under Section 7(4) of the Act.
In a statement in support of the motion setting out the
grounds of MRA’s claim against the institutions, MRA’s lawyer, Mr. Chigbu,
contended that although MRA is entitled to receive the requested information
from each of the institutions within seven days of receipt of the application,
they “wilfully refused” to reply the letter of request.
He noted that the information requested by MRA are not
privileged or exempted from disclosure by the FOI Act and that the institutions
had no right, power or privilege to deny MRA the information requested in the
letters.
Mr. Chigbu argued that the information requested by MRA
bother on “issues of public concern, social justice, good governance and
accountability.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suits.
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