With Re-run elections over, it is contracts time at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with as much as N2,174,19billion approved in two days. The contracts were awarded on August 6 and 27 at the commission’s management meetings specifically convened for that purpose, The Nation reports.
Three of the contracts, worth N988.28million, were awarded on August 6. The INEC management approved 18 others (amounting to N1.185.91billion) on August 27.
A breakdown of the August 6 contracts is as follows: Procurement of non-sensitive election materials (N945million); special publication in Wall Street Journal on INEC’s programmes and activities (N26, 280,000) and special publication on creating a path to equitable representation (N17million).
The August 27 contracts are: Construction of National Voter Registry Back-up Centre in Abia State (N468, 183, 698. 23million); setting up of a mini-printing press at INEC headquarters and Electoral Institute (N101.5million); procurement of voting cubicles (N31, 440,000); and Special report on INEC’s reforms and plans (N18million).
Others are: Global Leased Transmission Network (GLTN) N12.5million and N1.5million to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department for project supervision; 3M File Tracking System (N58.5million); Consolidation of 2008 continuous voter registration data (N19, 250,000); alternative power (solar) back-up for communication equipment at the headquarters (N18.5million) upgrade of the PABX (N28.5million) and N1.5m to ICT department for supervision.
They include construction of ICT Strategic Centres in Jigawa State (N97, 621. 236million) and Ogun (N97, 580,604.00million).
It was gathered that four contracts on procurement of non-sensitive election materials for bye-elections were also retroactively ratified on August 27, based on anticipatory approval by the INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu.
The non-sensitive election contracts awarded by Iwu before the August 27 approval came were N45.5million (22/7/2009); N47.9million (7/08/2009); N40.5million (7/8/2009); and N49.5million (11/08/2009).
At the August 27 meeting, INEC ratified the anticipatory approval of N20million to four Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including Human Rights Monitor, Rights Monitoring Group, Transparency Movement and West African Network of Election Observers.
Other unnamed 15 CSOs were given N15million (N1milion each) to monitor the Ekiti North Senatorial District Rerun Election.
But the Executive Director of Human Rights Monitor, Mr. Festus Okoye, said: "Nobody has sent any money to the Human Rights Monitor in relation to the Ekiti North Senatorial re-run."
It could not be immediately ascertained why the contracts were approved in two days.
A source who pleaded not to be named, said: "We are under a contracts siege; a kind of bazaar is going on here. We hope the Presidency will ask the relevant agencies to come in and check our books. It is time for President Umaru Yar’Adua to ask questions.
"Some people are taking advantage of non-reconstitution of INEC to award contracts arbitrarily. Can you imagine what over N2billion can do in the life of a nation?
"Some INEC staff have an outstanding case with the EFCC. Yet, while the investigation is in progress, the same cabal is feasting on the system.
"Most of these contracts did not pass through due process. And in line with relevant laws, a few ought to be approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)."
It was learnt that the approval of the contracts has caused a huge row as the management is not statutorily constituted.
INEC has a 14-man management team comprising the chairman, 12 National Commissioners and the Secretary to the commission.
Besides the Secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, who is a career civil servant, only four of the remaining 13 commissioners are left because the five-year tenure of others has expired.
While some National Commissioners ended their tenure in August, last year, the last, Dr. Mohammed Jumare, completed his term last April.
The national commissioners who left in August are Ekpenyong Nsa, Mohammed Abubakar, Esther Sallah, Setley Dadze, Mohammed Bello, Senator Olorunnibe Farunkanmi, and Ishmael Igbani.
The four surviving commissioners are Iwu, Victor Chukwuani, Phillip Umeadi Jr., and Solomon Soyebi.
Findings also revealed that none of the contracts has been referred to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for approval by FEC.
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