Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the private companies contracted to produce sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku queried reports suggesting that a France-based firm affiliated with Hitech, a company reportedly linked to the Chagoury and Tinubu families has secured the contract to print presidential ballots. He stated that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (NSPMC) was allegedly restricted to handling materials for only 15 to 17 states, leaving the remainder to undisclosed private entities.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, he demanded that the electoral body publish the security clearances and procurement methods for all engaged companies.
“These reports demand urgent and unequivocal answers. INEC must confirm or deny them and publish the names of every company engaged, the materials and states assigned to each, the procurement method, the security clearances obtained and the safeguards governing production, storage and delivery”.
Atiku also raised alarms over the recent reshuffling of key personnel within INEC’s Electoral Operations and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) departments.
The ADC alleged that officers from northern states were systematically transferred from sensitive departments and replaced by officials from Lagos and other South-West states.
Isa Magaji Gum, was moved from Electoral Operations to the Voter Registry Department, while Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi was appointed to head Electoral Operations, and Dr Lawrence Bayode took charge of the ICT department.
“We have specific names of officers moved from Electoral Operations and ICT in a number of northern states and replaced with officers from Lagos and other South-West states. INEC may dismiss this as routine. But we have noticed a pattern, especially along ethnic lines, and we are concerned,” the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated.
The opposition leaders urged the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to publicly clarify the criteria used for the administrative decisions, warning that the secrecy surrounding the procurement process and ethnic bias in staff postings could undermine the electoral outcome.
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