FG Bars INEC from Contracts Awards
Guobadia protests, says 'commission is independent'
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Federal Government has in line with its due process policy barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from further award of contracts without passing through the public tenders board.
INEC Chairman, Dr. Abel Guobadia, however, protested the directive, insisting that the electoral commission is independent and autonomous as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
THISDAY gathered that the Presidency in a recent circular to some government parastatals including INEC barred the commission from the award of capital projects and major contracts except with the approval of the Budget Monitoring and Implementation Committee headed by Dr. (Mrs.) Oby Ezekwesili.
A Presidency source said government decision to include INEC on the list may not be unconnected with allegations of inflation of contracts in the commission.
The Presidency was also said to have been irked by the scandal that rocked the electoral body in 2002. One of the INEC National Commissioners, Mrs. Mary Obegolu, and some lawyers operating under the company name 'KDIO' where paid over N240 million as commission from a N5.4 billion contract to a South African firm.
The source noted that the President caused his Principal Secretary, Steve Oronsanya, to write to the commission expressing reservations about allegations of contract inflation and its effect on the anti-corruption crusade of government.
In the said letter, which was sent directly to the then Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, the President directed that subsequent contracts from the commission must pass through a Public Tenders Board.
The source pointed out that the need to sanitize the affairs of INEC prompted government to include the commission on the list of government agencies that are not to award contracts directly.
Guobadia has, however, protested the action of government, saying that the commission is independent of the control of the executive arm of government. He confirmed to THISDAY yesterday that he had indeed protested the commission's inclusion among government agencies and parastatals that have been directed to discontinue direct award of contracts.
The INEC Chairman had in a letter to the President said that the affairs of the commission are too sensitive to be brought under direct bearing of the Due Process and Budget Monitoring Implementation Committee.
He also contended that due to the security nature of some of its activities, it will not be wise to bring the commission's contract under such public scrutiny.
The INEC Chairman said that the electoral body "is an independent body under the constitution," adding, "Our work, which deals with electoral matters is very sensitive. There are too much of technical and security details that cannot be left in such public domain."
He cited for instance, the printing of voters' cards and ballot papers that cannot be publicly tendered for all to participate in.
"The work of INEC should be quite different from all other government agencies, but that is not to say that it should be less transparent, we recognise the need for due process to be followed," he said.
He defended the award of contracts for the printing of voters' cards and other contracts that took place before the 2003 general elections, saying that the due process was followed.
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