The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission have been asked to probe the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, over alleged money laundering.
A lawyer, Femi Oniyide, alleged that the SSG engaged in money laundering through a company account known as SuperfluX International Ltd.
The human rights activist said the SSG has an Access Bank Plc account which has his BVN and has financial control over it.
The lawyer also alleged that Talabi was awarded a contract by the Independent National Electoral Commission to print ballot papers.
Oniyide said, “Superflux International Ltd, sometime in 2020, took lodgments 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 transaction, totaling N189, 797, 163.9 only. The amount, according to the description of payment, was meant for “INEC Electoral amount….4 SS of BALLOT P”.
“These, without mincing words, are amounts meant for the supply of ballot papers by the company, Superflux International Ltd, under the financial grip of the said Secretary to the Government of Ogun State, to INEC, a body saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections in Ogun State and fact, Nigeria.
“Part of the allegations right before the Election Petition Tribunal in Ogun State presently are issues of ballot papers with similar serial numbers spread across Some local government areas where elections were held.
“The crux of the matter that we want to be addressed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) is how the company of a man who is an interested party in the elections to be held in Ogun State, became the same person to print the ballot papers to be used for the election?
“We dare ask what legal or moral justification the SSG, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, is to present his company as a contractor to INEC for the printing of ballot papers.
“Should an interested party be the same person to print ballot papers in an election involving his principal and his party? I pray that the account of the company should be probed further beyond 2020 to determine whether further contracts for the supply of ballot papers were awarded to the company by INEC.
“I will not want to delve more into how this affected the alleged rigging of the governorship election in Ogun State as the matter is presently before the Election Petition Tribunal.
“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 the Ogun State government.
“The sum of N10, 800,000: 00 was allegedly discovered to have been paid twice into the SSG’s company account, totaling N21, 600,000:00 on the 4th of February, 2020 of which there was an onward transfer to Zimanel Global Enterprises with the description, “Covid-19 food support.
“Our question is whether the SSG was graceful enough to supply the good people of Ogun State with food palliatives during the Covid-19 pandemic or under what circumstances did such a humongous amount for Covid-19 food support allegedly pass through his company’s account?
“The company’s account in which this seeming atrocity was committed with Access Bank Plc.
“We hereby implore the Chairmen of EFCC and ICPC to cause a detailed investigation into the circumstances of how Ogun State taxpayer’s funds will be so brazenly managed and laundered by a private company, owned by a political appointee and his family, with likely collusion of co-conspirators in all the approving state’s authority, including the state Accountant General.
“We also plead that they investigate the ballot paper printing for elections by the same aforementioned government appointees company.
“The SSG is the alter ego of Superflux International Ltd. It should most urgently be looked into on these matters bordering on financial crimes, money laundering, and corruption.”
