Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Corruption Watch<\/p>\n
UK, and the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
\nhave sent an open letter to the Chairman of the Independent National
\nElectoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega seeking his \u201cClarifications
\non the contracts for printing ballot papers for the 2015 elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
The groups expressed \u201cConcerns at suggestions that INEC may have overpaid
\nconsiderably for the ballot papers. Information passed to us suggests that
\nINEC may have paid as much as four times more for the ballot papers than
\nthey cost to produce. If true, this raises serious issues of transparency
\nand accountability in the procurement process by INEC, and will amount to
\na fundamental breach of the UN Convention against Corruption, to which
\nNigeria is a state party.\u201d<\/p>\n
The groups argued that, \u201cTransparent, competitive and efficient
\nprocurement systems are part of the broad measures needed to curb
\ncorruption in the electoral process, and to achieve a fair political
\nprocess and ultimately, the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n
The letter dated 6 February 2015 was signed by SERAP executive director
\nAdetokunbo Mumuni; Corruption Watch director Andrew Feinstein, and ANEEJ
\nexecutive director David Ugolor.<\/p>\n
According to the groups, \u201cthere must be full transparency over the
\ncontracts to print the ballot papers for the General Election, including
\nthe number of ballot papers ordered, the cost of the ballot papers, the
\ncompanies selected to complete the contracts and the systems put in place
\nto guarantee the security of the printing and delivery process.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that if full transparency is not followed with regard to the
\nballot paper contracts, it is capable of tarnishing the legitimacy of the
\nelectoral process itself. Transparency is also necessary to enhance the
\ncredibility of INEC and citizens\u2019 trust and full participation and
\nengagement with the electoral process,\u201d the groups also stated.<\/p>\n
The groups therefore requested Professor Jega to use his \u201cgood offices and
\nleadership to urgently and widely publish the contracts that INEC entered
\ninto for the ballot papers with a full break down of costs and the number
\nof ballot papers ordered, and the companies that will print the papers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the very least, INEC should put in the public domain the cost of the
\ncontracts, the number of ballot papers specified in the contract, and the
\ncompanies with which contracts have been entered into. We would also be
\ngrateful for clarifications on the process for the bidding for the
\ncontracts,\u201d the groups added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Corruption Watch UK, and the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) have sent an open letter to the Chairman of the Independent…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21747,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n