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The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) has demanded a staggering N94 million from a senior associate with Perchstone and Graeys Akhigbe Oserogho, for the photocopying and certification of electoral documents related to a Local Government Area (LGA) election that took place in Edo state earlier this month.
Oserogho had initially requested access to various result sheets and electoral documents used in the LGA election held on September 2 in Ikpoba-Okha LGA of Edo State.
In response, EDSIEC, through a letter dated September 21 and signed by Sunday Osayande, its administrative secretary, instructed Oserogho to pay N94,381,340 to its accounts department for the purpose of photocopying and providing him with the requested documents.
The response addressed to Oserogho read in part: “With reference to your letter dated September 15th, 2023, on the above subject, I am directed by the Board of the Commission to advise you to apply to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a certified true copy of the Voters Register used by EDSIEC for the conduct of the elections in the ten (10) Wards of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.
“I am further directed to inform you that you are to pay the sum of Five Hundred Naira) for the certification of each of the ballot papers used in the conduct of the elections in Ikpoba-Okha LGA. You will also be required to pay the sum of N30.00 to photocopy each Form C, D, D2 and E used in the said election.
“To this end, you are to pay the sum of N94,381,340.00 (Ninety-four million, three hundred and eighty-one thousand, three hundred and forty naira) only to the Account Department of the Commission for the photocopying and certification of the different result sheets used in the election as requested by you.
The exorbitant cost associated with this request has sparked concerns and discussions on social media.
A Nigerian professor of Law at Tufts University Chidi Odinkalu, said elections at all levels in Nigeria have become “profoundly lawless”.
“This is the natural result of the lawlessness of judicial decisions concerning elections in the country,” he added.