Victor Ezeja
Security printing company in Nigeria, Superflux International has debunked allegations of being involved in money laundering, diversion of COVID-19 funds and retaining ballot papers to help a candidate manipulate results during the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
In a statement made available to newsmen, Managing Director, Gabriel Okonkwo, said the company was never used to siphon COVID-19 funds or any illegitimate funds as alleged in some media reports.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelOkonkwo said that because of the nature of the company’s business, it is highly committed to corporate responsibility and integrity and will never trade it off for illicit dealings.
He clarified that the company was never contracted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to print ballot papers for ANY elections during the 2023 electoral period and described as “false” the allegations that it printed and retained some ballots for the purpose of helping a candidate in Ogun State manipulate an election.
He said: “Contrary to the false and malicious allegations making the rounds, we state emphatically that our Company has NEVER and will NEVER be used as a conduit for money laundering or a vehicle for siphoning public funds or any illegitimate funds at all.
“We find the allegation that our Company retained ballot papers in the 2023 elections for the use and benefit of a particular candidate both disturbing and astonishing as it is totally false in all ramifications.
“For the records, our Company states categorically that it was not contracted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to print ballot papers for ANY elections during the 2023 electoral period.
“We did not print any ballot paper for Ogun state and let alone printing extra to compromise the outcome of the election. Therefore, the false claim by the pliable section of the media that we produced extra ballot papers to feed a parallel channel is not only baseless and malicious but also aimed at achieving sinister purposes.”
On the allegation of being used as a conduit for diverting COVID-19 funds, the Superflux MD said all interventions during the pandemic were done through the company’s account as part of its corporate social responsibility and a genuine effort to support various communities and institutions to fight against the scourge.
He said the company made various donations both to Ogun State COVID-19 Fund and also made significant contributions to support the indigent and vulnerable and the funds were approved by the Board of Directors. “We neither solicited nor received any funds from any entities in relation to the fight against COVID-19,” he stated.
“As a very humane company and being socially responsible, we have in recent past embarked on various projects, interventions and donations. One of these is the N20,000,000 (Twenty million naira) donation to the Ogun State Covid-19 Fund on April 6, 2020, which the hack writers and their collaborators found convenient to omit because of their evil intention. Similarly, on April 2, 2020, the sum of N10,800,000 (Ten million, eight hundred thousand naira) was paid to Zimanel Global Enterprises for the purchase of food items shared as COVID-19 relief andN2,100,000 (Two million one hundred thousand naira) was also donated as COVID-19 support, just to mention a few.”
Okonkwo further expressed concern that such fabrications to malign the company amounted to an invasion of its privacy.
He disclosed that the company’s legal advisers have been briefed to take necessary actions against peddlers of fake news and ensure that justice is served to redeem their image.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
