By Femi Mustapha in Kaduna
Questions have been raised over who controls the ballots for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections following allegations concerning the outsourcing of sensitive electoral materials.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the companies handling the production of sensitive materials, questioning reports that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (NSPMC) might be responsible for printing materials for only 15 to 17 states, with private contractors handling the rest.
Atiku also asked the commission to confirm or deny reports linking HiTech, a company associated with Gilbert Changing in the allegations, to contracts.
In a commentary titled “2027 Elections: Who Controls The Ballots?”, Malama Zainab Abubakar said the allegations have not established that any contractor has compromised materials or that manipulation is planned, but they raise serious concerns about ballot security, public procurement, and institutional independence.
She noted that ballot papers and other sensitive election materials are not ordinary commercial products, stressing that their production, numbering, storage, transportation, and distribution must be subject to strict controls.
“If unauthorized copies were produced, unauthorized materials diverted, security information compromised or delivery records manipulated, the consequences could include electoral disputes, delayed voting, challenges to ballot authenticity and diminished public confidence,” she warned.
The commentary argued that when multiple contractors are involved, INEC must demonstrate that all of them operate under consistent security standards and that every batch of materials can be traced from production to delivery.
Regarding the allegation involving HiTech, it said the claim raises a legitimate question about conflicts of interest and the independence of public procurement. Still, it emphasized that a reported relationship between a business owner and a political figure does not prove wrongdoing.
According to the article, INEC should determine whether the company has actually been awarded a contract, whether the procurement complied with applicable laws, and whether independent safeguards protect the process from undue influence.
To address public concerns, the commentary listed six disclosures that INEC should make, including the names of all companies engaged to print sensitive materials; the materials and quantities assigned to each contractor; and the procurement methods, contract values, and selection criteria.
It also called for disclosure of security clearances, independent audits, and chain-of-custody arrangements governing production, storage, and delivery; clarification on whether HiTech or any associated company has been selected and how any conflict of interest has been addressed; and contingency arrangements for unauthorized printing, missing materials, and contractor failure.
It added that such disclosures should permit public accountability without revealing technical security details that could facilitate counterfeiting.
Citing Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2026, the article noted that Section 42 addresses the prescribed format and serial numbering of ballot papers, while Section 73(2) addresses the recording of quantities and serial numbers of sensitive materials, and that the Act criminalizes unauthorized printing and handling.
It stressed that the effectiveness of these provisions depends on proper implementation, independent verification, and enforcement.
“The integrity of an election does not begin at the polling unit. It begins much earlier, with the production of ballot papers, the selection of contractors, the protection of sensitive information and the accountability of every institution entrusted with electoral materials,” it stated.
The commentary concluded that if the reported arrangements are accurate, INEC should explain their rationale and show that every contractor is qualified and properly vetted; if they are inaccurate, it should correct the record with verifiable evidence. It noted that INEC must demonstrate that all sensitive materials for 2027 will be authorized, secure, traceable, and protected against improper influence.