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ActionAid Nigeria, an international non-governmental
organisation, on Wednesday called for the removal of the Special Adviser to the
President on National Assembly Matters, Mohammed Abba-Aji, for saying he would
advise President Goodluck Jonathan not to sign the recently passed Freedom of
Information Bill. The House had passed the bill into law last week.

A member of the House of Representatives, Abike Dabiri-Erewa
(Action Congress of Nigeria, Lagos) had also called on the Presidency to sack
Mr Abba-Aji last Tuesday. In a statement in Abuja, the ActionAid country
director, Hussaini Abdu, said Mr Abba-Aji’s statement showed his insensitivity
to the aspirations of Nigerians in the last 12 years.

“The president’s special adviser’s statement reflects
insensitiveness to the aspirations of the Nigerian people who for about 12
years have clamoured for a law enabling them to have access to information on
how their affairs are run,” he said.

Mr Abdu further argued that if the Jonathan administration is
truly committed to fighting corruption in the country, it would not take kindly
to any person in the government who takes stands against the bill.

A bill for all

Mr Abdu said, as far as the ActionAid is concerned, the bill
makes it possible for the citizens of the country to have access to information
as well as strengthen the National Assembly and the state legislatures in the
performance of their oversight functions.

“The FOI bill as we know does not only makes it possible for
the citizens to have access to information but also strengthens the National
Assembly and the states parliaments in the performance of their oversight
functions.

“The bill will further enable security agencies and other
anti-corruption bodies in the country to perform their duties without
hindrance”, Mr Abdu said.

While recognising the right of individuals to express personal
opinions on issues of national importance, the country director said it was
unacceptable for a senior government official to blatantly take on the whole of
the country with such an expression of disdain.

Mr Abdu asked Mr Jonathan to remove Mr Abba-Aji from office,
saying “the retention of such person in his government is a signal to Nigerians
that President Jonathan is against Nigerians having access to information and
has been paying lip service to anti-corruption crusade.”

Mr Abdu also called on the Senate to quickly concur with the
House of Representative on the bill and pass it into law, saying “This,
perhaps, is the best opportunity for members of the current Senate to write
their names in gold and go down in history as bequeathing the nation such
legacy as the FOI Act.”

Meanwhile, the Presidential Spokesperson, Ima Niboro had on
Tuesday dissociated the Presidency from Mr. Abba-Aji’s comment, claiming that
he has no right to speak for the government.

He also told the Media that President Jonathan could not have done the
bidding of Mr. Abba-Aji, as the latter was only expressing a personal opinion.