Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has knocked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for awarding contracts to companies owned by candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
INEC had in a statement by its National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, admitted to awarding a sensitive contract to the Binani Printing Press Limited, a firm which has now been revealed to be owned by APC governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani.
Okoye had claimed that the company was awarded the contract as a way of stimulating the economy and encouraging Nigerian enterprise and that a preliminary search at the Corporate Affairs Commission did not immediately show that Senator Binani was a director.
Responding in a statement, however, Atiku’s special assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu said INEC’s excuse was watery and unconvincing.
Shaibu said it was unfortunate that despite being given an allocation of over N300bn as well as financial assistance from foreign governments including the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom, the leadership of INEC had continued to run the commission without scruples.
He said, “INEC’s latest statement cannot even fool a primary school student. An ordinary search on CAC’s portal by youths on Twitter has already revealed that Senator Binani owns Binani Printing Press Limited, a firm that was given a contract to print sensitive INEC material. The company with RC 310024, which was registered on March 13, 1997 has Senator Aishatu Ahmed listed as number one.
“It is obvious that Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has no plan of leaving a legacy of free and fair elections. With barely a year left on his tenure, his performance as INEC chairman will become a by-word for failure. This is a man who has received the highest financial allocation ever and yet cannot still run the agency effectively and deliver a credible election.
“It is funny that INEC claims it awarded the contract to Binani’s company in order to stimulate the local economy. One wonders whether it is the duty of INEC to stimulate the economy or conduct credible elections.”
Shaibu noted that this would not be the first time that INEC would be awarding sensitive contracts to APC chieftains.
He recalled that ahead of the 2019 poll, INEC under the leadership of Yakubu also awarded a contract for the printing of Permanent Voters’ Cards to Mohammed Sani Musa who in the same year was contesting for the Niger East senatorial election.
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