Nigeria: INEC Speaks On Contract Award to Governor Candidate's Company

17 March 2023
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Qosim Suleiman

INEC said the company belonging to the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Aishatu Ahmed, got the contract through open bidding.

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

Sahara Reporters had reported that the commission awarded the printing of governorship result sheets for Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto states 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 said the company got the contract through open bidding, and that it was not aware of the its relationship with the senator.

While INEC said the name 'Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed' was not listed as one of the Directors of the company, a quick review by our reporter revealed that the name 'Aisha Dahiru' was listed as one of the two directors. The other director listed is Hauwa Dahiru and Gamzaki Gamzaki Law Chamber as the company's secretary.

"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.

"After inspecting the company's facility and carrying out due diligence at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Commission was satisfied that they are qualified printers with the requisite technical capacity, security consciousness and expertise in printing security documents. However, Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed was not listed as one of the Directors of Binani Printing Press Limited."

"The Commission decided to print all the security documents for the 2023 General Election in the country to help Nigerian printers and assist in growing the national economy.

"The Commission will continue to carry out due diligence in its procurement activities."

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

Read the original article on Premium Times.

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