Heads to roll in INEC over botched elections

WHO got the contracts to supply the ballot papers for the general elections?
The question arose, following Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega’s cancellation of last Saturday’s National Assembly elections because one of the contractors failed to deliver.
The ballot papers contractors are: Tip 3, a Spanish company; Graphic Inline (Gi); Kalamazoo; Aero-Vote; IV Solutions and San Frano, a German/Polish company.
“All the contractors are from one section of the country,” said a source who pleaded for anonymity.
He added: “This is one of the reasons why some officials in the Presidency are uncomfortable with Jega. That was why last Saturday’s meeting of the Security Council was stormy.”
A top INEC official spoke about a plot to ease out Jega being hatched by some “powerful” forces.
The official claimed that Jega confronted a top government official on the phone on Sunday night for assembling a team to carry out propaganda against him.
The government official had planned to twist what transpired at the Security Council meeting against Jega to attract public odium for the INEC chairman, it was learnt.

When Jega called the official, he was shocked that the INEC chair knew about the plot.
But Jega reportedly told the official: “I am not saying that you should not do your work but tell the public the truth, don’t blackmail me.”
An INEC official said: “We are aware that there are moves by some people to frustrate Jega out of office because he has refused to allow anyone to manipulate him.
“Some forces are plotting to blackmail him. The issues surrounding contract awards for ballot papers are fresh moves to deal with Jega. But they are joking because Jega has never got involved in the award of contracts. All the companies being bandied about passed through due diligence.
“Jega is not a stupid person; he cannot award contracts to any firm in which he or any member of his family has interest.
“The good thing is that it was President Goodluck Jonathan who prevailed on Jega not to resign last Saturday when there was tension at the Security Council meeting.”
For hours yesterday, Jega told Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) that heads would roll soon in the commission.
He asked all the RECs to account for the ballot papers for the botched National Assembly elections in their custody.
The Nation learnt that the meeting had barely begun when RECs protested to Jega on how they were exposed to danger last Saturday when they were asked to conduct the poll when ballot papers had not arrived.
A source at the meeting, who spoke in confidence, said: “The RECs related their dilemma last Saturday and urged the INEC chairman to address the communication gap during such last-minute preparations for any election.
“Some of them claimed that were it not for tact and diplomacy, there would have been violence in some states.
“The RECs in Adamawa and Taraba states said up till now, they have not received any consignment of ballot papers for Saturday elections.
“For the umpteenth time, Jega apologised to RECs and he repeatedly said: ‘I take responsibility for all the observations and lapses you have noticed.’
But shortly after apologising, the source quoted Jega as saying: “Heads will roll soon in this commission as we will no longer tolerate laxity.
“We have had enough of this nonsense and we will take drastic measures to put things right.”
The source claimed that Jega later directed all the RECs to “account for ballot papers issued to them last Friday on local government basis to determine the number of ballot papers used.”
As at press time, the stock-taking of the ballot papers was still in progress.
Another source added: “From the stock-taking so far, both Jega and the RECs have based their projections on ballot papers for Saturday poll on about 85 per cent turn out. With that, we may not need to make contingency arrangement to print fresh ballot papers.
“I think we can go ahead with the poll with what we have now. There is no cause for alarm on the sufficiency of ballot papers.
“Going by past elections, we have always had 10 per cent redundancy in terms of voting and materials used.”
The source also confirmed that about 150million ballot papers for the presidential elections (75m each for the actual poll and run-off) are being expected on Thursday.
But as INEC was tidying up yesterday, there were indications yesterday that those opposed to Jega within the government circle had raised issues on why only companies with Northern representatives were awarded ballot papers contracts.
It was learnt that six companies actually secured contracts for ballot papers and result sheets.
Source: The Nation

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