Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission to disclose the companies contracted to produce sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections, warning that secrecy surrounding ballot printing and key personnel appointments could undermine public confidence in the polls.
His query came as the African Democratic Congress also raised concerns over alleged ethnic bias in recent personnel postings and redeployments by INEC, demanding an explanation from the electoral body ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The electoral body has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections and February 6, 2027, for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
Atiku, through a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, specifically asked INEC to confirm or deny reports that Hitech or a company associated with it had secured a contract to print sensitive materials for the 2027 elections.
Atiku said information available to him suggested that more than half of INEC’s sensitive election materials, including presidential ballot materials, might have been allocated to a company believed to be based in France, whose identity and credentials had not been publicly disclosed.
He also expressed concern over reports that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc might be responsible for printing election materials for only 15 to 17 states, with private companies handling the remainder.
“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 controversy to broader concerns about the independence of electoral institutions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He argued that the government’s handling of major contracts and the reported changes within INEC could fuel suspicions of political interference if the commission failed to provide satisfactory explanations.
Atiku also questioned the possibility of Hitech or an associated company securing a contract to produce sensitive election materials, citing publicly reported business ties between the Chagoury family, which owns Hitech, and the Tinubu family.
“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 the commission to disclose the identities of the companies awarded the contracts, particularly if the printing was not being handled by NSPMC.
Atiku called for greater reliance on qualified domestic security-printing capacity, arguing that every ballot paper, result sheet and other sensitive election document must be accounted for through a transparent chain of custody.
He extended his concerns to the printing of higher-denomination banknotes by foreign companies, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria to disclose its current printing arrangements and clarify the roles of NSPMC and any foreign contractors.
Atiku also raised concerns about recent personnel changes within the electoral commission, particularly in 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 said INEC should explain the circumstances surrounding the changes and demonstrate that the decisions were based on merit and due process, without 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. Nigerians will not accept vague assurances on matters this serious,” he said.
He, however, cautioned against presuming that any official was compromised because of ethnicity, background or personal associations, insisting that the commission had a responsibility to address legitimate concerns through verifiable disclosures.
Similarly, the ADC alleged that some officers from northern states serving in sensitive departments, including Electoral Operations and Information and Communication Technology, had been transferred to other departments and replaced by officials from Lagos and other South-West states.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said it had received intelligence and direct complaints about the changes, warning that the pattern could raise questions about INEC’s neutrality if not properly explained.
The party, however, did not present the names of the affected officers or documentary evidence to substantiate its allegations in the statement.
“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 yet accusing the commission of any nefarious motive but insisted that allegations capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral process should not be dismissed as routine administrative decisions.
“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 personnel arrangement suggesting ethnic or sectional preference in strategic operational positions could fuel suspicions that the electoral process was being tilted in favour of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The party urged INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), to publish details of the recent postings, the criteria used in selecting officers for the positions and the reasons behind the changes.
According to the ADC, such disclosure would help reassure Nigerians across the country that electoral officials would perform their duties impartially, irrespective of their ethnic, linguistic or regional backgrounds.
The party warned that failure to address the allegations could have serious consequences for the credibility of the 2027 elections.
“Allowing such allegations to go without a serious, evidence-based rebuttal could have serious implications for the integrity of the elections,” it said.
The controversy comes as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, with INEC expected to play a central role in conducting the polls and ensuring that the votes of Nigerians are accurately reflected in the outcome.