A security printing company, Superflux Nigeria Limited, has described as barbaric and spurious, allegations that the company was contracted to print ballots papers by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) and in the process favoured certain candidates in the just concluded 2023 general elections.

It also frowned at being tagged as conduit pipe for money laundering and siphoning of COVID-19 funds, saying such allegations are clearly handiworks of mischief makers and traducers hell bent on tarnishing the reputation of the company and its former director, presently the Secretary to the Ogun State government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, before its numerous customers.

The company stated that its response became necessary in the interest of the teeming members of the public, who have deep trust in its longstanding integrity as well as its esteemed partners, who understand the excellent reputation of the company.

According to the statement by the company’s Managing Director, Gabriel Okwonko, contrary to the dangerous rumour making the rounds about being used to siphon COVID-19 funds, the company generously donated millions of naira to different beneficiaries during the pandemic in line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The statement added that N20 million was donated to Ogun State. The transaction, it said, was doctored by mischief makers to look as if money was sent to the company from the state’s purse, wondering why adversaries of its former director would come up with such lies for the purpose of blackmail.

The statement further read: “To address these absolutely false allegations, obviously being cowardly peddled by faceless fellows, we wish to state as follows:

“Our company is extremely mindful and jealously guard the responsibility the nature of our business puts on us as a corporate entity in the interest of our esteemed customers and the general public.

“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 to siphon public funds or any illegitimate funds.

“We find the false 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 INEC, the agency in charge of electoral affairs in Nigeria with mandate to conduct elections, to print ballot papers for any elections during the 2023 electoral period.

“We, therefore, did not print any ballot paper for Ogun State and as such the opportunity did not arise. Therefore, the false claim by the pliable section of the media that we produced extra ballot papers and fed a parallel channel is not only baseless and false, but also aimed at achieving sinister purposes.

“We state without fear of contradiction that Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, our erstwhile director, resigned in June 2019 to pursue other causes of interest to him and his resignation was accepted by our board of directors, who wished him well in his endeavours.”