Lawyer petitions EFCC, INEC over Ogun SSG’s alleged N189m money laundering, ballot papers printing for INEC

Oniyide, at a news conference in Abeokuta, publicly presented and signed the petition, expressing his concerns to the moral justification for a concerned party in the last general elections getting contract from INEC to print ballot papers.

A legal practitioner, Femi Oniyide, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG), Mr Tokunbo Talabi’s alleged money laundering and printing of ballot papers for the electoral umpire in the 2023 polls.

In the petition, Talabi is alleged to have engaged in money laundering and illicit activities linked to the printing of ballot papers for the last general elections.

Oniyide, at a news conference in Abeokuta, publicly presented and signed the petition, expressing his concerns to the moral justification for a concerned party in the last general elections getting contract from INEC to print ballot papers.

He alleged that Talabi laundered a sum of N189,797,163.9 in 2020 through a company account named Superflux International Ltd, which he held with Access Bank Plc and linked to Talabi’s BVN.

According to Oliyide, the amounts with payment description; “INEC Electoral amount….4 55 of BALLOT P” were meant for the supply of ballot papers by the company under the financial grip of the SSG to INEC.

He further claimed that these payments were divided into four tranches, each amounting to N47,449,290.90, all processed on the 19th of June 2020.

Oniyide also made a separate allegation that an amount exceeding N10,800,000.00, initially designated for Covid-19 funds, was discovered in Superflux International Ltd’s account in 2020.

He asserted that this amount was allegedly paid into the SSG’s company account on two occasions, totaling N21,600,000:00.

“I have come to the knowledge, through different stories Online, that Superflux International Ltd, sometime in 2020, took lodgement of various sums of money from the Central Bank of Nigeria account of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC for the printing of ballot papers meant for elections in Nigeria.

“The alleged payments were supposedly made in four tranches on the 19th of June, 2020, for N47,449,290.90 per each transaction, totaling W189,797,163.9 Only. The amount, according to the description of payment was meant for “INEC Electoral amount….4 55 of BALLOT P.

“Of another major importance in this petition is the alleged discovery of COVID-19 funds in the account of the same Superflux International Ltd, which has the financial control imprimatur of the SSG to Ogun State government.

“The sum of N10,800,000:00 was allegedly discovered to have been paid twice into the SSG’s company account twice, totalling W21,600,000:00 Naira on the 4th of February, 2020 of which there was an onward transfer to Zimanel Global Enterprises with the description, “Covid 19 food support”, he added

He, however, asked the Chairmen of EFCC and ICPC to cause detailed investigation into the circumstances of “how Ogun State taxpayers funds will be so brazenly managed and laundered by a private company owned by a political appointee and his family”.