{
  "id": 13786228,
  "title": "Atiku urges INEC to disclose firms printing 2027 election materials",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/atiku-urges-inec-to-disclose-firms-printing-2027-election-materials",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-11T19:38:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/11/atiku-urges-inec-to-disclose-firms-printing-2027-election-materials/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the firms responsible for printing materials for the 2027 general elections. Atiku expressed concerns over the lack of transparency surrounding the selection of contractors and the production of sensitive election materials. He warned that withholding this information could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.\n\nIn a statement issued by his Strategic Communication Director, Atiku urged INEC to explain recent changes in key departments, including the Electoral Operations Department and the Information and Communication Technology Department. He demanded that INEC disclose the criteria used in selecting these officials and ensure that all appointments followed due process and were based on merit.\n\nAtiku specifically asked INEC to confirm or deny reports that Hitech, either directly or indirectly, had been awarded a contract to print sensitive election materials for 2027. He expressed concern over reports indicating that more than half of the sensitive election materials may have been allocated to an undisclosed company based in France. Atiku also questioned why the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc is responsible for printing materials in only 15 to 17 states, while private companies handle the remaining states.\n\nAtiku emphasized that Nigerians should have access to information about the companies producing their ballots and the manner in which contracts are awarded. He cited the Chagoury family's business ties with the Tinubu family and controversies surrounding major contracts awarded during President Bola Tinubu's administration, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. However, Atiku stated that INEC should clarify if neither Hitech nor any company linked to it had been selected for the 2027 election materials.\n\nThe ADC candidate also called for the Central Bank of Nigeria to disclose allocations for banknote printing and explain the roles of local and foreign contractors. Atiku urged INEC to maximize the capacity of local security-printing firms and ensure the proper security and accounting of ballot papers and result sheets throughout the electoral process. He vowed that any attempt to manipulate the 2027 elections would be resisted through democratic means.",
  "summary": "The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over the lack of transparency surrounding the production of sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose the companies handling the printing. Atiku warned that keeping details of the contracts and the process […]…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "Kwankwasiyya urges NDC to seek legal redress over Gwarzo’s omission from INEC list",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/kwankwasiyya-urges-ndc-to-seek-legal-redress-over-gwarzos-omission",
        "published": "2026-10-11T19:56:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Trust",
        "title": "Atiku questions ballot contract, alleged redeployments at INEC HQ",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/atiku-questions-ballot-contract-alleged-redeployments-at-inec-hq",
        "published": "2026-10-11T20:59:25.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}