Isaac Samuel
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the identities of companies contracted to print sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections, warning that secrecy surrounding the contracts could undermine public confidence in the polls.
Atiku, through his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, who issued a statement on behalf of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, also demanded explanations for reported changes in key departments responsible for election administration.
He questioned the reported redeployment of Isa Magaji Gum from the Electoral Operations Department to the Voter Registry Department, with Mrs Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi appointed to head Electoral Operations. Dr Lawrence Bayode was also identified as the head of the commission’s Information and Communication Technology department.
Atiku called on INEC to explain the reasons for the changes and disclose the criteria used in making the appointments, insisting that the process must be transparent and free from political interference.
“These departments are at the heart of election administration. INEC must explain these decisions, publish the criteria applied and show that every appointment and redeployment followed due process, was based on merit and was free from political interference,” he said.
The former vice-president also asked the commission to confirm or deny reports that Hitech, or a company associated with it, had secured a contract to print sensitive election materials.
He alleged that more than half of the materials, including presidential ballot papers, might have been allocated to an undisclosed company reportedly based in France. He also questioned reports that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc was handling election materials for only 15 to 17 states, with private contractors expected to print materials for the remaining states.
Atiku said Nigerians deserved to know the companies responsible for producing their ballots, as well as the procurement procedures, contract allocations and security measures put in place to protect the materials.
“Nigerians should not have to depend on unnamed sources to discover who is producing their ballots,” he said.
He further argued that any contract awarded to Hitech or an associated company would raise questions about the commission’s impartiality, citing publicly reported business ties between the Chagoury family, which owns Hitech, and the family of President Bola Tinubu.
The former vice-president also referred to controversies surrounding Hitech’s contracts under the Tinubu administration, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
“If neither Hitech nor a company associated with it has been selected, INEC must say so clearly and put the matter beyond doubt,” he said.
Atiku called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to disclose its banknote-printing allocations and clarify the roles of domestic and foreign contractors involved in the process.
He also urged INEC to maximise the capacity of domestic security-printing firms and establish a transparent chain of custody for ballot papers and result sheets to prevent tampering or unauthorised access.
The ADC chieftain warned that Nigerians grappling with economic hardship would not tolerate any attempt to undermine their votes, insisting that the 2027 elections must not be used to extend the Tinubu administration’s hold on power.
“Let there be no mistake: Nigerians will not accept a stolen election. Any attempt to rig the 2027 polls will be met with determined resistance through the ballot, lawful civic action, and every other democratic channel available to the people,” he said.
He added that the ADC would monitor INEC’s preparations and draw the attention of domestic and international observers to any perceived lack of transparency.
Atiku maintained that the commission must demonstrate its neutrality through verifiable disclosures and ensure that its preparations for the elections are beyond suspicion.
