Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the companies responsible for printing sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections, warning that secrecy surrounding the contracts could undermine public confidence in the polls.
Atiku expressed concern over the reported allocation of election materials to private contractors and changes involving key officials in INEC’s Electoral Operations Department. He questioned whether the decisions were made transparently and in accordance with due process.
In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, the former vice-president demanded explanations about the reported redeployment of Director Isa Magaji Gum from Electoral Operations to the Voter Registry Department.
He also referred to the appointment of Mrs Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi as head of Electoral Operations and the identification of Dr Lawrence Bayode as head of Information and Communication Technology.
Atiku argued that the departments played central roles in election administration and urged INEC to publish the criteria used for the appointments and redeployments, demonstrating that the decisions were based on merit and free from political interference.
He 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.
According to the allegations raised by the ADC campaign council, more than half of the materials, including presidential ballot papers, might have been allocated to an undisclosed company reportedly based in France.
Atiku further questioned reports that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc was responsible for printing election materials for only 15 to 17 states, with private companies allegedly handling the remaining assignments.
He called on INEC to disclose the names of all contractors, the quantities of materials allocated to each company, the procurement procedures followed and the security arrangements put in place to protect the materials.
The former vice-president also raised concerns about the possible involvement of Hitech, citing publicly reported business connections between the Chagoury family, which owns the company, and the family of President Bola Tinubu.
He argued that any contract awarded to Hitech or an associated firm would require clear explanations to dispel concerns about the commission’s impartiality. However, he said INEC should publicly clarify the situation if neither Hitech nor any related company had been selected.
Atiku also urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to disclose its banknote-printing allocations and explain the respective roles of local and foreign contractors. He called on INEC to maximise the use of domestic security-printing facilities and establish a transparent chain of custody for every ballot paper and result sheet.
He warned that public confidence in the 2027 elections would depend on the transparency of the commission’s preparations, particularly amid the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
Atiku maintained that any attempt to manipulate the election would be challenged through voting, lawful civic action and other democratic means. He added that the ADC would monitor INEC’s preparations and draw the attention of domestic and international observers to any alleged lack of transparency.
The demands come as political parties and other stakeholders continue to scrutinise preparations for the 2027 general elections. The claims concerning election-material contracts and the companies involved were presented by Atiku and his campaign council, with INEC’s response not included in the statement.