Rights Groups Urge Presidential Assent for Nigeria's Freedom of Information Law

ABUJA—The Open Society Justice Initiative and Right To Know (R2K), a Nigerian open government group, are together urging President Goodluck Jonathan to take the historic step of signing into law Nigeria's first Freedom of Information Act, when it comes before him this weekend on the eve of the end of his first term.

The bill was finally approved by both houses of the National Assembly this week, but must receive the assent of the president before the current parliamentary term expires. If it does not receive assent before then, the legislation could lapse.

The approval of the bill by the Senate and House of Representatives of Nigeria’s National Assembly on Tuesday, May 24, came after months of debate and negotiations.

The Justice Initiative and Right To Know welcomed the work of the joint conference committee of the National Assembly, which handled the reconciliation of the versions of the bills passed by the House and Senate.

Ene Enonche, coordinator of R2K, said: "This action by the National Assembly reaffirms their commitment to open government and effective citizenship. They all guided it through the various stages of the process with vigour, clarity, and unity of purpose.”

The two groups also welcomed the commitments of Labaran Maku, the Information & Communications Minister, as well as the Presidency to support getting the bill to the president before the inauguration on Sunday.

Maxwell Kadiri, associate legal officer of the Open Society Justice Initiative, said: “The adoption of a Freedom of Information Act in Nigeria will indeed be huge for Nigeria and for Africa."

"By assenting to this Bill, President Jonathan will, with a stroke of his pen, transform the way government is run in Nigeria. It will also send a clear signal to the rest of Africa that the basis of accountable government is informed citizenship.”

Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo failed to sign a similar parliamentary bill in 2007, citing unspecified concerns over national security. President Jonathan has said he supports the passage of the bill into law.