INEC audit irregularities worth N288bn were flagged by the Auditor-General, citing procurement breaches and unpaid statutory deductions
The Auditor-General of the Federation has flagged N288,188,772,947.06 in alleged financial irregularities in the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission, according to the 2022 Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
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The report, released on Sunday, detailed multiple audit queries linked to procurement breaches, contractor payments, unretired advances, and failure to remit statutory deductions by INEC between 2018 and 2019 under the leadership of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Commission.
One major audit observation showed that N5,312,238,499.39 was paid for the supply of Smart Card Readers for the 2019 general elections through restricted procurement without prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The Auditor-General noted that the contract exceeded the approval threshold of the INEC Tender Board and lacked approval from the Federal Executive Council, with reliance instead placed on presidential approval under Section 15(2) of the Public Procurement Act, a provision the audit said was inapplicable.
The report also cited additional payments, including mobilisation fees and further disbursements, which were allegedly made without adequate documentation or evidence of supply.
INEC management, in its response, maintained that due process was followed, citing presidential approvals dated June 21 and July 30, 2018, and the urgency of election preparations.
However, the Auditor-General described the explanation as unsatisfactory, stating that the legal and procedural gaps identified remained unresolved.
Further findings showed that N4,505,220,044.06 was paid to six contractors as 35 per cent contract sums without documentary evidence of supplies, alongside the use of conditional Advance Payment Guarantees contrary to procurement regulations.
Another N331,228,070.04 was paid to contractors under questionable circumstances, with audit records indicating inconsistencies in contract awards, supply dates, and payment approvals.
The audit also revealed that N235,799,616,436.77 was paid to contractors without deducting the mandatory one per cent stamp duty, resulting in an unremitted sum of N2,193,484,804.06.
In addition, N630,625,319.80 issued as non-personal advances to INEC officials remained unretired at the time of audit, with some officers reportedly receiving fresh advances without clearing previous ones.
The report flagged contracts valued at N41,312,066,801.00 for the printing of ballot papers and result sheets, citing the absence of evidence that contractors met eligibility requirements or possessed relevant experience.
These contracts were also awarded without Federal Executive Council approval or a formal “No Objection” from the BPP, according to the audit.
Another finding involved the purchase of four Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles at N297,777,776.00, with the Auditor-General stating that the contract price exceeded prevailing market rates at the time.
While INEC reiterated that urgency and presidential approvals justified its actions, the Auditor-General insisted that several responses failed to address core violations, stressing that the audit findings remain valid until corrective actions are implemented.
The report recommended that the INEC Chairman account for the queried sums before the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly, recover irregular payments, and remit them to the treasury.
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It warned that failure to comply could attract sanctions under the Financial Regulations (2009) for irregular payments and ineffective management of public funds.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
