The owner of the company ACT. Technologies Limited, Sani Musa, which printed the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) has been arrested by the officials of the Department of State Security (DSS), Thisday reported.
No reason was given for his arrest.
He was arrested Tuesday at a private location in Abuja.
THISDAY gathered that his arrest might not be unconnected with the allegation that he is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and that he alone has the code to the smart card reader.
A source close to THISDAY said that his arrest by the DSS is aimed at solving some of the controversies surrounding the Smart Card Reader and make him incommunicado throughout the presidential election.
On Wednesday, the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign organisation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, called for his arrest, accusing him of being part of the plot to rig the election in favour of APC.
According to Fani-Kayode, “Our concerns stem from the fact that the moving spirit and a major shareholder and board member of the company that supplied the card reader system and machines to INEC is not only a friend of but also an ardent and keen supporter of General Muhammadu Buhari and the APC.
That man’s name is Sani Musa and he is indeed the main force behind the company.
The company’s name is Act Technologies Ltd. and the Chairman of the company is one Engineer SK Danladi.
“How and why INEC would give the contract to supply the card readers to a fanatical APC supporter and to a man whose other company was officially blacklisted by INEC a couple of years ago for sharp practices, needs to be explained. Sani Musa has expressed his undying support for the APC and General Buhari and his hatred and virulent opposition to the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan openly and publicly on his Facebook wall.
Some of his comments on Facebook read as follows: ‘I stand with him (Buhari) for whatever reason’ and ‘Imagine the kind of people given spaces in our nation’s news tabloids.’ ‘Hoodlums are having field day in Nigeria since the inception of GEJ’s administration. Mad men, hooligans and vultures have taken over decency of the society. May Allah save us from the torments of this (sic) rascals and expose their intentions on our nation state be it the Boko Haram, killer militants or by extension those in authority with wicked intentions-Amen,”
ACT. Technologies Limited, according to the electronic payments obtained from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that over N2.6 billion was paid to the Nigerian company for the production and supplies of over 68.8 million PVCs within a period of seven months.
It was further gathered that the 68.8 million PVCs were expected to be produced at a unit cost of N65 per PVC.
THISDAY gathered that the Electronic Payment Mandate for the production of the PVCs were paid through two banks – an Islamic Bank, JAIZ Bank and the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) between 2013 and 2014, an indication that the firm charged with the production have been fully paid, yet it is yet to supply in full part of the 68.8 million PVCs for the election.
According to the payment mandate made available to THISDAY, INEC on February 14 paid the sum of N489,937,500 to ACT.Technologies Limited as part payment for the production of the PVCs. The money was paid through JAIZ Bank.
In the same manner, another lodgment of N130 million was paid to the same company on August 13, 2013, while another sum of N585 million was paid to ACT. Technologies Limited.
On July 16, 2013, the sum of N585 million was paid to the same company through the FCMB, while on June 11, 2013, another N293,962.500 was paid to the company through the Islamic bank.
N234 million was specifically paid to the same company, ACT. Technologies Limited, for the supply of 40 million PVCs through JAIZ Bank on January 24, 2014 and the last batch of N590,871,418 was paid on February19, 2014.
All the electronic payment mandates were signed by the Secretary of INEC, Augusta Ogakwu, Hajiya Salamatu Ibrahim who is the Director of Finance and the Director of Budget, T.W. Afannga.
According to an INEC source, “Despite the full payment of the contract money for the supplies of the PVCs, the batch of the voter cards are yet to be produced, whereas all the money has been paid as far back as 2014.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has called on politicians to cultivate the habit of playing politics without bitterness, ahead of tomorrow’s, presidential election.
He made the call yesterday in Abuja at the PDP National Christian Praise Rally for Successful 2015 Elections, saying that this was critical to ensure peaceful polls.
He also called on politicians to embrace Christ and to play politics with the fear of God, adding that though it was termed a dirty game, politics could be made clean by God-fearing politicians.
He expressed the need for all to focus on God who gives inspiration to all mankind and to continue praying to Him for peace upon the nation, before, during and after the elections.
“It is what you ask God with conviction that you will receive, as the nation cries to God to bring peace to the country with conviction, He will show himself strong,’’ Secondus said.
