INEC Finally Speaks on N434million Contract Awarded to APC Gov'ship Candidate’s Company, Reveals Position

• The nation's electoral umpire has finally addressed issues raised about the contract to print sensitive election materials awarded to the company of an APC governorship candidate
• On its Twitter page, INEC confirmed that it awarded the printing contract for the 2023 polls to a company owned by APC's guber candidate, Hajia Aishatu Binani
• Meanwhile, reports indicate that Binani Printing Press Limited was awarded at least N434m to print election results sheets for the 2023 general elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally confirmed it awarded the printing of some sensitive materials for the 2023 elections to a company owned by a sitting Senator and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa state.

The electoral umpire, in a statement signed by its national commissioner, Festus Okoye and posted on its Twitter page on Thursday, March 16 and explained why the commission awarded a contract for the printing of sensitive Electoral materials to Binani Printing Press.

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Why did INEC award the contract to Binani's company

Meanwhile, the commission granted the printing of governorship result sheets for Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara, and Sokoto states contract to Binani Printing Press Limited, a company owned by Aishatu Ahmed, a Senator representing Adamawa central in the 9th National Assembly. She is also the governorship candidate of the APC in Saturday’s election.

But INEC has said the company got the contract through open bidding and was unaware of its relationship with the senator.

“Procurements in the Commission go through open competitive bidding, and Binani Printing Press Limited was one of the security printing companies that applied to print security documents for the Commission,” INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said.

Nigerians react

Nigerians took to the Twitter comment section of the commission and reacted to the development.

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@iam_mohh tweeted:

"Y’all are jokers."

@See_Emmy tweeted:

"Anything INEC denies just know it's true. No truth in INEC."

@EmmanuelLion2 tweeted:

"You have betrayed Nigeria trust, even this Saturday election, with all your assurances, we are on our own."

@innoagbama tweeted:

"Very Soon we will Know what and how you spent the 355 billion naira that you collected."

@AmaOs3__sU3 tweeted:

"I thought @cenbank is responsible for the printing of sensitive Election Materials.

"So @inecnigeria has decided to contract it to contractors. You have bridged our trust as a nation."

@ISOG318 tweeted:

"She may not be a Director but is she a shareholder? Or did she just resign and the filings made and as such?

March 18 election: IGP orders restriction of movement on Saturday

In another development, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba has ordered the restriction of all forms of vehicular activities on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation on Saturday, March 18, from 12: 00 a.m. to 6: 00p.m across all states where elections will be conducted.

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The restriction, the police boss said, is except for those on essential services.

The police's directive, Baba said, excludes the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as no election will be conducted therein.

Source: Legit.ng