A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Mike Ozekhome, has written a petition against Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the recent governorship election in Ogun State.
In the petitions made available to Freelanews and submitted to Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Prof. Ozekhome is demanding thorough investigation into the link between INEC and a printing company owned by the secretary to the Ogun State government, Tokunbo Talabi, in an election which ushered in Dapo Abiodun as the governor of the state for second term.
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According to the legal practitioner, who wrote on behalf of a non-governmental and non- political organization, Rights Writers Association, HURIWA, is accusing INEC of engaging the company, Superflux international Ltd, with vested interests in the election to produce the ballot papers used for same election.
Among several allegations leveled against INEC and Talabi’s company, Prof. Ozekhome claimed that while Superflux was printing the originals for INEC contract, it also allegedly printed extra ballots which were later used to undermine the said Ogun State Governorship election in favour of Dapo Abiodun, the sitting Governor.
Read full details of the petition submitted to EFCC, and copies to ICPC and CCB below.
31ST July, 2023
The Chairman,
Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB),
5th Floor Federal Secretariat Complex Annex III,
Shehu Shagari Way Maitama,
Abuja, FCT.Dear sir,
THE LINK BETWEEN INEC, SUPERFLUX INTERNATIONAL LTD, BALLOT PRINTING AND THE OGUN STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION: OUR PETITION FOR URGENT INVESTIGATION AND POSSIBLE PROSECUTION
INTRODUCTION
We are Solicitors for Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) (“our client”), a non-governmental and non- political organization formed in the 2007, with Certificate No. CA/IT/NO 24712.
Amongst others, our client, an internationally recognized NGO, engages in writing and advocacy to promote, protect and project the human rights of all Nigerians and other law abiding citizens resident within Nigeria. It also engages in advocacy for and protection of a credible electoral process, good governance, the rule of law and eradication of corruption from all facets of our electoral life.
ABOUT SUPERFLUX INTERNATIONAL LTD
Our client states that Superflux international Ltd (Superflux) is a Nigerian limited liability private company founded and propelled by Chief Tokunbo Talabi, the current Secretary to the Government of Ogun State (SSG) headed by Dr Dapo Abiodun. Superflux is a leading security printing company duly accredited by the Central BANK OF Nigeria (CBN), Central Bank of Zambia, and other West African Central Banks. With registration No. 275594, Superflux has its address at No. 3, Vori Close, Off ACME Road, Ikeja, Lagos.
BACKGROUND FACTSOur client informed us that Dapo Abiodun’s SSG, Tokunbo Talabi, is the president and CEO of Superflux International Ltd; is a trained physiotherapist and banker of many years experience, and holds positions in boards of several companies. Our client informed us that the said Chief Talabi printed Ballot Papers for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), using his company, Superflux as the vehicle, during the March 18, 2023.
Our client informed us that there was much movement of ballot papers during the March 18, 2023 Governorship elections. Our client states that it was generally believed that while Superflux was printing the originals for INEC contract, it also allegedly printed extra ballots which were later used to undermine the said Ogun State Governorship election in favour of Dapo Abiodun, the sitting Governor.
These discrepancies, our client informed us, form part of the ongoing challenge to the governorship outcome before the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Our client states that there are many cases of multiple ballot papers with the same serial numbers; whilst there are ballot papers whose serial numbers are at variance with what were deployed in the said Ogun State for the Governorship election. These were also said to have accounted for overvoting in many polling units, with alleged ballot box stuffings as the order of the day. Many of those ballot papers were believed by our client to have emanated from Tokunbo Talabi’s Superflux company.
FACTS IN SUPPORT OF THESE CLAIMS
On the 19th of August, 2020, INEC paid the sum of N47, 449,290.90 four times on the same day into Superflux Access Bank account, Victoria Island branch, with the account number: 0001990557
This sum was allegedly transferred from CBN’s INEC Electoral account with the description: NFT/CBN/BO/INEC Electoral Account/ M2867/PMT 4 SS Ballot P.
Similarly, on the 23rd of June, 2020, INEC credited another Superflux’s corporate account with Access Bank: 0001598513, with the sum of N98, 898581.80. This sum was said to have been quickly moved to the first mentioned account No. 0001990557. The transaction description was the same as above, i.e, NFT/CBN/BO/INEC Electoral Account/ M2867/PMT 4 SS Ballot P.Our client maintains that because Tokunbo Talabi is an interested party, being the SSG to Dapo Abiodun (the Governor), who is also an interested party as his election was being challenged, they all compromised the Gubernatorial election with overvoting through his company’s printed excess ballot papers.
Our client informed us that Tokunbo Talabi’s BVN is still attached to the accounts till date; and so cannot claim any prior detachment or resignation from the ownership and Directorship of the said Superflux company that printed the ballot papers.
OTHER LINKED ACCOUNTS
Other Superflux accounts linked to Tokunbo Talabi which our client insists must be investigated based on Superflux’s involvement, are:
1. Polaris: Allen Avenue branch. Account Number: 4090893181
2. Stambic, Oba Akran Branch: 000487511
3. Standard Chartered, Branch 04900: 10000058696
4. Sterling Bank, Aromire branch Ikeja: 0003058731
5. UBA: 1004322521
6. Union Bank, Stallion Plaza branch: 0040353673
7. Unity Bank, HQ Office: 12764744.Our client informed us that barely three months into Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration in 2019, precisely on the 11th of August, Tokunbo Talabi opened a Superflux International DSRA (Domiciliary account) with Access Bank, Victoria Island branch with Account Number: 1222529704, from which many transactions were located.
For instance, on the 6th of April, 2020, he allegedly made a singular transaction of seven hundred million naira (N700m) into a property company, Stonestack Limited.
From another Access Bank account: 0001598513, with the Victoria Island branch, Talabi was alleged to have transferred the sum of $500,000 to a Logistics company (Speedwings) 8 times, amounting to $4m (four million dollars). Though these transactions were undated, however, some of the last set of the transactions had to do with some COVID-19 matters which was carried out on the 4th of June, 2020.
Attached herewith and cumulatively marked as HURIWA 1 are some of the bank transactions above referred to, for your perusal and necessary action.
OUR HUMBLE PRAYERS
We believe that the above allegations by our client are weighty enough to merit your urgent attention. There is the need for thorough investigation and possible prosecution, where necessary, as the allegations if found true, have greatly undermined the 2023 Ogun State Governorship election and our electoral process. All these constitute a subversion of the 1999 Constitution of Nigerian, other extant laws, our National ethos and the code of conduct that governs public officers in Nigeria.
We therefore demand on behalf of our client, immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the said Chief Tokunbo Talabi; and Superflux International Ltd. You owe this to our client and to Nigerians as the agency Established under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap 58, LFN, 1990, to establish and maintain a high standard of public morality in the conduct of government business, and to ensure that the actions and behavior of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality, to carry out this your public duty. We believe that seven (7) days from the date of this letter are sufficient to carry out this your statutory function.
TAKE NOTICE that if you fail, refuse and/or neglect to accede to our above modest demands, we shall be left with no option than to approach a court of competent jurisdiction through an order of Mandamus to compel you to carry out your statutory functions.
We believe you will act timeously and urgently.
Please, accept the assurances of our highest regards.
Yours faithfully,
PROF. MIKE A. A. OZEKHOME, SAN, CON, OFR, FCIArb, LL.B, LL.M, Ph.D, LL.D, D.Litt.
CHIEF COUNSEL/HEAD OF CHAMBERS
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
