INEC had reported that over seven million Nigerians, had begun their voter pre-registration online but could not complete the process at physical centres before its ended the registration on Sunday, 31, 2022.

But SERAP in a statement on Tuesday via its verified Twitter handle called on INEC to allow seven million Nigerians to complete their registration, noting that Nigerians need to complete the process to partake in the 2023 general elections.

“BREAKING: INEC must urgently allow the over seven million Nigerians who reportedly carried out their voter pre-registration online but could not complete the process at physical centres, to complete their registration so that they can vote in the 2023 elections,” SERAP tweeted.

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, who ruled in the case  granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion exparte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

SERAP and 185 other concerned Nigerians had earlier this month filed a lawsuit against INEC asking the court to “declare unconstitutional, illegal, and incompatible with international standards the failure of the electoral body to extend the deadline for voter registration to allow eligible Nigerians to exercise their rights”.

In the suit, SERAP had asked the court for “an order restraining INEC, its agents, privies, assigns, or any other person(s) claiming through it from discontinuing the continuous voters’ registration exercise from the 30th June 2022 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”.

The suit is adjourned to 29th June 2022 for the hearing of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.

The suit followed the decision by INEC to extend the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties by six days, from June 3 to June 9. But the commission failed to also extend the online pre-registration which ended May 30 2022 and the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) ending 30 June 2022.

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1034/2022 filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, and transferred to Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to determine “whether the failure of INEC to extend the deadline for voter registration is not a violation of Nigerian Constitution, 1999 [as amended], the Electoral Act, and international standards”.

SERAP is asking the court for “a declaration that the failure of INEC to extend the deadline for voter registration is a violation of eligible Nigerians’ rights to participate freely in their own government, equality, and equal protection”.

The commission is further asking the court for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to extend voter registration by a minimum of three months and take effective measures to ensure that eligible Nigerians are able to register to exercise their right to vote in the 2023 general elections”.

Recall that Federal Government following the expiration of the National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) linkage order the telecommunication companies in the country to bar outgoing calls on SIMs cards that were not linked with NIN.

Following this, the telecom operators have begun to bar numbers, which has so far affect 72 million subscribers causing outrage among Nigerians.

But, SERAP on Friday in a tweet said it was ready to take legal action against the government for barring SIM cards without following the right procedure.

It tweeted: “BREAKING: NIN-SIM registration: We’re suing the Buhari administration over the blocking of 72 million subscribers from making calls without due process of law.”

The group and the concerned Nigerians filed a lawsuit against the Buhari-led administration over “the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, criminalisation of Nigerians and other people using Twitter and the escalating repression of human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom in the country.”

In the suit filed by Solicitor to SERAP, Femi Falana SAN, the plaintiffs sought for “An order of interim injunction restraining the federal government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and subjecting anyone, including media houses, broadcast stations using Twitter in Nigeria, to harassment, intimidation, arrest and criminal prosecution pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

They also argued that “If this application is not urgently granted, the federal government will continue to arbitrarily suspend Twitter and threaten to impose criminal and other sanctions on Nigerians, telecommunication companies, media houses, broadcast stations and other people using Twitter in Nigeria, the perpetual order sought in this suit might be rendered nugatory.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the interim application and the substantive suit.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) reportedly suspended Channels TV over an interview the station held with the spokesperson of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Reacting, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) threatened to sue NBC if it fails to reverse the “illegal” decision within the next 48 hours.

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said in a statement on Monday, April 26, “This action by the government and NBC is yet another example of Nigerian authorities’ push to silence independent media and voices. The government and NBC lift the suspension and uphold the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and international obligations to respect and protect freedom of expression and media freedom. This is a new low in Nigeria’s protection of freedom of expression, and the ability of independent media to function in the country. The suspension of Channels Television is detrimental to media freedom, and access to information, and the Federal Government and NBC must immediately reverse the decision. President Muhammadu Buhari should caution NBC to stop intimidating and harassing independent media houses and to respect the Nigerian Constitution, and the country’s international human rights obligations, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights”.

The civil rights advocacy group in a tweet shared today November 3, stated that Nigerians have a right to freedom of expression online and they will not accept any “illegal attempts” to interfere with that right.

SERAP tweeted “We’ll sue the Northern Governors’ Forum and @nassnigeria  if any Social Media bill is passed and signed by President Buhari. Nigerians have a right to freedom of expression online. We won’t accept any illegal attempts to interfere with that right #NoToSocialMediaBill”

The group wants information on disbursement and spending of security votes by the Federal Government, 36 state governors and 774 local governments between 1999 and 2019.

The suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1369/2019, filed last Friday followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information requests and “the respondents’ failure to account for some N241.2 billion of public funds allocated, disbursed and spent yearly as security votes, and the corresponding lack of effective protection of the rights to security and welfare, life and physical integrity of millions of Nigerians.”

The suit filed by SERAP’s lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi read in part: “The respondents have a legal duty to proactively record, keep and disclose information in respect of allocation, disbursement and spending of security votes without waiting for SERAP to request for such information. They are also required to maintain and publish documents containing information relating to the receipt or expenditure of public funds. Public officials receiving and spending security votes ought to come clean with Nigerians on how exactly these public funds are spent. Unless the reliefs sought are granted, Nigerians would continue to see the appropriation of public funds as security votes as a tool for self-enrichment. The suit is seeking to offer governments at all levels an important opportunity to be transparent and accountable with the exercise of their discretionary powers in the allocation, disbursement and spending of security votes. The public interest in the disclosure of these details outweighs any private interest the respondents may be seeking to protect. The huge financial resources budgeted for security votes by successive governments have not matched the security realities in the country, especially given the level of insecurity, violence, kidnappings and killings in many parts of the country, which seem to suggest massive political use, mismanagement or stealing of security votes by many governments. As revealed by a 2018 report by Transparency International (TI), most of the funds appropriated as security votes are spent on political activities, mismanaged or simply stolen. It is estimated that security votes add up to over N241.2 billion every year. On top of appropriated security votes, governments also receive millions of dollars yearly as international security assistance.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

The Code of Conduct Bureau in a letter with reference number CCB/HQ/LU/047/59 had rejected a Freedom of Information request by SERAP demanding the details of asset declarations submitted to it by presidents and state governors between 1999 and 2019.

This refusal, the CCB argued, was on the grounds that producing such information would amount to an invasion of the privacy of presidents and governors.

In the suit, which it filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking an order granting leave to apply for judicial review and to seek an order of mandamus compelling the CCB to make available to it asset declarations submitted to it by presidents and state governors between 1999 and 2019.

The group, in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1019/2019, is also praying the court order granting leave to it to apply for judicial review and to seek an order of mandamus compelling the CCB to take cases of false asset declarations to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution of suspects.

In the suit, SERAP argued that “asset declarations of presidents and state governors submitted to the CCB are public documents. Public interest in disclosure of the details of asset declarations sought by SERAP clearly outweighs any claim of protection of the privacy of presidents and state governors, as they are public officers entrusted with the duty to manage public funds, among other public functions.

“A necessary implication of the rule of law is that a public institution like the CCB can only act in accordance with the law, as to do otherwise may enthrone arbitrariness. The CCB does not have reasonable grounds on which to deny SERAP’s FOI request, as it is in the interest of justice, the Nigerian public, transparency and accountability to publish details of asset declarations by presidents and state governors since the return of democracy in 1999.”

Counsel for SERAP, Adelanke Aremo, argued in the suit that, “The right to receive information without any interference or distortion should be based on the principle of maximum disclosure and a presumption that all information is accessible subject only to a narrow system of exceptions.”