Precious Nwonu, Enugu
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to explain its arrangements for printing sensitive election materials and recent personnel changes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku urged the commission to disclose the companies contracted to produce ballot papers and other sensitive materials, while the ADC expressed concern over alleged ethnic bias in the redeployment of staff serving in key departments.
INEC has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku asked INEC to confirm or deny reports that Hitech or an affiliated company had secured a contract to print sensitive materials for the elections.
The former vice-president said information available to him suggested that more than half of the commission’s sensitive election materials, including presidential ballot papers, might have been assigned to a company reportedly based in France.
He expressed concern that the identity and credentials of the alleged contractor had not been made public.
Atiku also questioned reports that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc would print election materials for only 15 to 17 states, leaving private companies to handle the remaining assignments.
He urged INEC to publish the names of all contractors, the materials and states allocated to each company, the procurement procedures followed and the security measures governing production, storage and delivery.
“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,” he said.
Atiku argued that transparency in the production and handling of sensitive election materials was necessary to protect the credibility of the electoral process and prevent public suspicion.
He also questioned the potential involvement of Hitech or an associated company, citing publicly reported business connections between the Chagoury family, which owns Hitech, and the family of President Bola Tinubu.
According to Atiku, awarding such a contract to a company with those reported connections could raise concerns about the independence of the electoral commission.
He maintained that INEC should prioritise qualified domestic security-printing capacity and ensure that every ballot paper, result sheet and other sensitive document could be tracked throughout the production and distribution process.
The former vice-president extended his call for transparency to the printing of higher-denomination banknotes, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria to disclose its current arrangements and clarify the respective roles of NSPMC and any foreign contractors.
**Atiku Questions INEC Personnel Changes**
Atiku also called on INEC to explain recent postings and redeployments involving officials responsible for election administration and technology.
The statement cited reports that Isa Magaji Gum had been transferred from Electoral Operations to the Voter Registry Department, while Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi had been appointed to head Electoral Operations. Dr Lawrence Bayode was identified as the head of Information and Communication Technology.
Atiku asked the commission to disclose the criteria used in making the appointments and demonstrate that the decisions followed established procedures and were 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.
However, Atiku cautioned against assuming that any official was compromised because of ethnicity, background or personal associations. He said the commission should address concerns through verifiable information rather than general assurances.
**ADC Alleges Ethnic Bias In Staff Redeployment**
Separately, the ADC raised concerns over what it described as a pattern of transfers involving officers from northern states serving in sensitive INEC departments.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party alleged that some officers working in Electoral Operations and Information and Communication Technology had been moved to other departments and replaced by officials from Lagos and other South-West states.
The party said it had received complaints and information about the changes, warning that the pattern required an explanation from the commission.
“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 statement read.
The ADC did not provide the names of the affected officers or documentary evidence to substantiate the allegations in the statement.
The party said it was not accusing INEC of having a predetermined motive but argued that personnel changes in departments central to election administration should be explained to avoid undermining public confidence.
It warned that any perception of ethnic or regional preference in appointments to strategic positions could fuel suspicions about the neutrality of the electoral process and allegations of favouritism towards Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The party urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to publish details of the recent postings, the criteria used to select officers for the positions and the reasons for the changes.
According to the ADC, disclosure of the information would reassure Nigerians that electoral officials would carry out their responsibilities impartially, regardless of their ethnic, linguistic or regional backgrounds.
The party warned that failure to address the allegations with evidence-based explanations could damage confidence in the 2027 elections.
The concerns come as political parties prepare for the next general elections, with INEC facing expectations to demonstrate transparency in its procurement decisions, personnel management and handling of sensitive electoral materials.