A legal practitioner, Femi Oniyide, has submitted a petition to both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against the Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG), Tokunbo Talabi.
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.
At a press briefing held in Abeokuta, Monday, Oniyide publicly presented and signed the petition, expressing his concerns to the moral justification for a concern party in the last general elections getting contract from INEC to print ballot papers.
He revealed that Talabi purportedly 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.
The legal practitioner 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, totalling 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 implored the Chairman 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”.
When contacted, the SSG promised to call our correspondent back, which he never did as at the time of filing this report.
