Ahead of the 2027 general elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide full transparency regarding recent leadership redeployments and ballot printing contracts.
Speaking through a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku urged the electoral umpire to publicly justify personnel changes in its core operational departments and disclose all details concerning sensitive material procurement.
Concerns Over Internal INEC Redeployments
The statement highlighted several high-profile movements within the commission. Specifically, former Electoral Operations Director Isa Magaji Gum was reassigned to the Voter Registry Department, while Mrs. Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi assumed control of Electoral Operations. Additionally, Dr. Lawrence Bayode was identified as leading the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department.
According to Atiku, these structural adjustments raise serious questions regarding the commission’s internal preparation and operational neutrality ahead of the next election cycle.
Questions Surrounding Ballot Contracts and Foreign Printers
Atiku also pressed INEC to clarify whether private firms, including Hitech or affiliated entities, received contracts to produce sensitive election materials.
Information available to the opposition leader suggests that over half of critical election assets, including presidential ballots, may have been assigned to an unnamed company based in France. Furthermore, he expressed concern that the state-owned Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc might only handle printing for 15 to 17 states, leaving the remainder divided among private contractors.
Warning Against Electoral Manipulation
Connecting these electoral concerns to national affairs, Atiku warned against any attempt to use the electoral body to secure political survival amid growing economic hardship across the country.
He affirmed that the opposition will closely track all administrative preparations and keep both domestic and international observers informed of any transparency deficits in handling election materials.