ATIKU, ADC FAULT INEC OVER BALLOT PRINTING CONTRACTS AND KEY POSTINGS

Former Vice President and opposition political party raise concerns over procurement transparency and staff redeployments ahead of upcoming general elections

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged opacity in the procurement of sensitive election materials and the internal postings of key personnel.  

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku demanded full disclosure regarding the private firms contracted to print ballot papers and sensitive electoral assets for the upcoming national elections.

The former presidential candidate questioned reports suggesting that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc was handling printing for only a subset of states, while private vendors including foreign-based entities were allegedly awarded major shares of presidential ballot contracts.  

Atiku raised concerns over potential conflict of interest, warning that awarding procurement contracts to entities linked with political stakeholders or private commercial interests compromises the perceived neutrality of the commission.  

Concurrently, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) challenged the commission over recent internal staff redeployments and postings across state chapters, cautioning against operational decisions that could perceive ethnic or sectional bias.  

The ADC urged the electoral body to publish the selection criteria and procedural justifications behind high-level personnel changes, asserting that transparent administrative processes are critical to preserving public confidence in the commission's impartiality.

Political observers and civil rights groups have echoed calls for full institutional transparency, urging electoral authorities to address opposition concerns through clear public disclosures and evidence-based rebuttals.