INEC denies awarding contract for ballot printing to Adamawa APC guber candidate, Binani’s firm

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has debunked reports that it awarded a contract for the Printing of ballot papers to a company where the Adamawa State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani, is a director.

In a press release on Thursday night signed by Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, the electoral body said it was not aware that the governorship candidate was one of the directors of Binani Printing Press Limited, one of the companies that was contracted to print sensitive materials for the general elections.

INEC’s denial came on the heels of criticism that trailed a revelation that the body had awarded such a sensitive contract to a company co-owned by the APC governorship candidate.

Okoye said the Commission had conducted due diligence with the Corporate Affairs Commission and was satisfied that the printing company met the requisite technical capacity, security consciousness and expertise in printing security documents.

“Our attention has been drawn to a news report that the Commission awarded a contract for the printing of sensitive election materials to Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed. It was alleged in the report that she owns Binani Printing Press Limited,” the statement reads.

Read also:INEC blacklists 100 ad hoc staff in Akwa Ibom

“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.

“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 statement said.

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