The ADC presidential candidate urges INEC to disclose the criteria behind the appointment of two Yoruba officials to key departments, clarify election materials procurement and guarantee a credible vote.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned the appointments of two officials of Yoruba extraction to head key departments of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding transparency and assurances that the decisions were made without political interference ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), raised the concerns in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to keep his hands off the electoral body, stressing that INEC must operate independently and ensure that the next presidential election is free, fair and credible.

The controversy centres on the appointments of Mrs Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi as head of INEC’s Electoral Operations and Voter Registry Department, and Dr Lawrence Bayode, who heads the commission’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department.

Reports indicate that Adeyemi-Showunmi recently replaced Magaji Gum. The two departments play critical roles in election administration, voter registration, electoral logistics and the technological processes supporting elections.

Atiku said INEC must explain the basis for the appointments, particularly the criteria used to select Adeyemi-Showunmi, and demonstrate that the decisions were guided by merit, established procedures and professional considerations rather than political interests.

“These departments are at the heart of election administration. INEC must explain these decisions, publish the criteria applied and show that every appointment and redeployment followed due process, was based on merit and was free from political interference,” he said.

He added that Nigerians would not be satisfied with general assurances from the electoral commission on issues capable of affecting confidence in the electoral process.

Atiku Raises Questions Over Election Materials

Beyond the appointments, the former vice president also demanded clarification from INEC over reports concerning the production of election materials ahead of the 2027 polls.

He urged the commission to confirm or deny the reports and publicly disclose the identities of the companies involved, the materials assigned to each contractor and the states where the materials would be deployed.

Atiku also called for details of the procurement procedures, security clearances and safeguards governing the production, storage and delivery of sensitive electoral materials.

According to him, transparency in the procurement process is essential to preventing doubts about the integrity of the election and ensuring that voters have confidence in the commission.

“These reports demand urgent and unequivocal answers. INEC must confirm or deny them and publish the names of every company engaged, the materials and states assigned to each, the procurement method, the security clearances obtained and the safeguards governing production, storage and delivery,” he said.

He argued that Nigerians should not have to rely on unnamed sources to obtain information about companies responsible for producing ballot papers and other sensitive election materials.

Warns Against Election Manipulation

Atiku further warned that any attempt to manipulate the 2027 general elections would face resistance through lawful and democratic means.

He said electoral officials must recognise the importance of their responsibilities and remain accountable for decisions that could affect the credibility of the polls.

“Let there be no mistake: Nigerians will not accept a stolen election. Any attempt to rig the 2027 polls will be met with determined resistance through the ballot, lawful civic action, and every other democratic channel available to the people,” he stated.

The former vice president maintained that the country was watching the conduct of the electoral commission and that public confidence in INEC would depend on its commitment to transparency, impartiality and due process.

His comments add to the political scrutiny surrounding preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the appointments, procurement of election materials and independence of the electoral umpire emerging as issues requiring public clarification.

INEC’s response to the specific concerns raised by Atiku was not included in the statement.