Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the identities of companies contracted to print sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections.
He said Nigerians deserve clear information about the production of ballot papers and other election documents ahead of the polls.
Atiku also questioned recent staff redeployments within the commission, particularly in departments responsible for electoral operations, voter registration and information technology.
He warned that failure to address the concerns could raise doubts about the commission’s independence and weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
The concerns were contained in a statement issued on Sunday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council.
Atiku specifically asked INEC to confirm or deny reports that Hitech or a company linked to it had secured a contract to print sensitive materials for the 2027 elections.
He also demanded the disclosure of the firms involved in the production of presidential ballot materials and other documents that could influence the conduct of the polls.
According to the statement, information available to the former vice-president suggested that more than half of INEC’s sensitive election materials might have been assigned to a company believed to be based in France.
He said the identity and credentials of the alleged contractor had not been made public.
Atiku further raised questions about the reported role of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (NSPMC), suggesting that the state-owned company might be responsible for printing materials for only 15 to 17 states, while private firms handled the remaining assignments.
He called on INEC to provide a comprehensive account of its procurement arrangements and explain how the security of election materials would be guaranteed from production to 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.
“Nigerians should not have to depend on unnamed sources to discover who is producing their ballots,” he said.
The former vice-president linked the issue to wider concerns about the management of electoral institutions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He argued that the commission needed to provide verifiable information to prevent questions about political influence from surrounding the preparations for the elections.
Atiku also referred to publicly reported business connections between the Chagoury family, which owns Hitech, and the Tinubu family.
He said any contract involving Hitech or an associated company to produce sensitive election materials would require clear explanations from the commission.
“The integrity of INEC in the forthcoming election will be seriously compromised if Hitech or a company associated with it is awarded a contract to produce sensitive election materials,” he said.
He urged INEC to identify every company awarded a contract and explain why the assignments were made, particularly if the printing of sensitive materials was not being handled by NSPMC.
Atiku also called for greater use of qualified domestic security-printing facilities, stressing that ballot papers, result sheets and other sensitive documents must be properly tracked throughout the production and distribution process.
He maintained that transparency over the contracts would help Nigerians understand the arrangements being put in place for the elections.
His concerns extended beyond election materials to the printing of higher-denomination banknotes.
He urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to disclose its current printing arrangements and clarify the respective responsibilities of NSPMC and any foreign contractors involved.
The former vice-president also questioned recent personnel changes within INEC, including postings affecting departments responsible for election administration and technology.
The statement cited reports that Isa Magaji Gum had been moved from Electoral Operations to the Voter Registry Department, while Mrs Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi had been appointed to head Electoral Operations.
Dr Lawrence Bayode was also identified as the head of Information and Communication Technology.
Atiku called on the commission to explain the circumstances surrounding the appointments and redeployments.
He said the public needed assurances that the decisions followed established procedures and were based on merit rather than political considerations.
“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. Nigerians will not accept vague assurances on matters this serious,” he said.
However, Atiku cautioned against assuming that any INEC official was compromised because of ethnicity, personal associations or background.
He maintained that the appropriate response was for the commission to address the questions through evidence and transparent disclosures.
The ADC separately raised concerns over the same personnel changes, alleging that officers from northern states serving in sensitive departments had been transferred and replaced by officials from Lagos and other South-West states.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party had received intelligence and direct complaints concerning the transfers.
He argued that the reported pattern required an explanation from the electoral body, given the importance of impartiality in election administration.
The party did not identify the affected officers or provide documentary evidence to substantiate the allegations in the statement.
It nevertheless maintained that the concerns should be addressed rather than dismissed as routine administrative decisions.
“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 said it was not accusing INEC of having an established ulterior motive but warned that personnel decisions involving strategic departments could create suspicions if the commission failed to explain the reasons behind them.
“Regardless of the commission’s motives, questions about regional concentration in sensitive departments cannot be brushed aside as routine administrative matters,” the party said.
It added that any perception of ethnic or regional preference in key operational positions could lead to questions about whether the electoral process was being administered impartially.
The party also expressed concern that such perceptions could fuel allegations of favouritism towards Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The ADC called on INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), to publish details of the recent postings, explain the criteria used in selecting officers for the affected positions and state the reasons for the changes.
According to the party, such disclosures would help reassure Nigerians that electoral officials would carry out their responsibilities without discrimination based on ethnic, linguistic or regional backgrounds.
“Allowing such allegations to go without a serious, evidence-based rebuttal could have serious implications for the integrity of the elections,” it said.
