SCANDAL: Reps Uncover Fraud In Presidential Ballot Papers Contract

The House of Representatives has launched a probe into irregularities trailing the multi-billion Naira contract awarded to a South African firm for the printing of the ballot papers used for the 2007 presidential election, it was disclosed yesterday.

*Reps In Session

In a briefing with newsmen, Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Solomon Olamilekan stated yesterday that “there are elements of double transactions” in the 2007 contracts.

Olamilekan picked holes in the reported N1.15 billion contract awarded from the Service Wide Votes for the printing of ballot papers and subsequently invited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Finance, Nigerian High Commission in South Africa, permanent secretary, State House and the Offfice of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) to appear before the committee latest April 26, 2014.

They are to defend their roles in the now tainted 2007 contract awarded to the South African to produce 65 million ballot papers at the unit cost of N16 each.

The chairman cited a memo from the Chief of Staff to the president to the Accountant General of the Federation to cause the issue of N1.15 billion from the Service Wide Votes.

“But I can tell you, there were two cheques from the State House sent to the CBN for the same purpose (N1.15 billion). So we don’t know how much was actually collected. How many times was the contract paid for?

“We are therefore inviting these agencies to come and show us evidence of correspondence- how many ballot papers were printed and at what cost; we would like to see the contractual agreement. We want clarification concerning the cheques that was raised for N1.15 billion, which gave room for double transaction”

It could be recalled that the Supreme Court had on April 16, 2007, ruled that the then Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was free to contest the presidential election on April 21, 2007. Atiku was earlier disqualified by INEC following an administrative panel of inquiry that indicted him of corruption.

The development caused INEC to award a fresh contract to have Atiku’s name and party (then Action Congress) reflected on the ballot paper.

Olamilekan’s disclosure on the 2007 deal reads in part: “At one of our sittings today (Monday), there was this N1.15 billion that was transferred to the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa by the Central Bank of Nigeria for the printing as claimed by them for the printing of ballot papers for the 2007 presidential election. On the 17th of April the Supreme Court of Nigeria gave the then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar the go-ahead to go and contest the presidential election under the platform of the Action Congress (AC).

“As a result of the late judgement (about five days to the presidential election) they went round the clock to get a ballot paper that contains the name and logo of the party of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. As they were trying to work round the clock, the state House, with the INEC chairman and the central bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor had to call for an emergency meeting on how to address the situation since postponing the election was not in sight. Part of what they arrived at was that immediately a South African company be contacted to print a ballot paper at the cost of N16 per ballot paper. Immediately that was done, there was need for them to raise the money.

“The controversy is now this; there was a memo by the chief of staff to the president that mandated the accountant general of the federation to cause the issuance of the sum of N1.15 billion from the service wide votes account from the consolidation revenue account to the central bank of Nigeria (CBN)for the purpose of printing 65 million ballot papers. In the same vein, there were two cheques of N262 million and N730 million from the state house of the same N1.15 billion sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for the same purpose and the question is how much was eventually sent to the Nigeria high commission in south Africa? Is N1.15 billion or N1.30 billion? If it is N1.15 billion, where are the evidences to show?

“How much was received from the Nigeria high commission in south Africa? How much actually got the beneficiary of this company that eventually printed these ballot papers? And we have gone out of our way to invite relevant agencies of the government to speak about this issue and tell all Nigerians because the cheque from the state house was sent to central bank, the memo from the state house by the then chief of staff was sent to the accountant general to cause the release of the same amount to the same central bank. How much actualy got to the same central bank? Is it N2.30 billion or N1.15 billion? What is contained in the service wide sent to us was N1.15 billion and this is the clarification that we sought for from the ministry of foreign affairs, we are inviting the Nigerian high commission in south Africa, the CBN, to know actually the amount that got to them. These are questions begging for answers in relation to that particular transaction.