Secretary to Ogun State Government (SSG), Mr. Tokunbo Talabi has asked the Department of State Security Services (DSS) to investigate online reports that he was involved in printing of ballot papers in the last general elections, especially the governorship election in Ogun State to compromise the process.
This is even as the Ogun State government has debunked a news report by a major newspaper. “This highly misleading report whose author is notorious for unethical journalism, has left us, like many avid readers of your publications, wondering if this is (the newspaper) that we used to know”, Information Officer at the office of the Ogun State SSG, Ogun State, Mr. Adegoke Oyebade wrote in a rejoinder.
According to Oyebade, the report erroneously projected the petitioner as the accused as it was Talabi who personally went to submit the petition to the DSS office at Abeokuta accompanied by his lawyers. The petition was on the heels of several online reports linking the SSG to Superflux International Limited, a security printing company where he was a Director prior to becoming SSG, as being involved in printing ballot papers for the 2023 general election to allegedly compromise the process, and laundering Covid-19 fund, among other allegations.
Last week, Superflux International Limited dismissed the reports that it printed ballot papers for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the last general elections, and its alleged role in the Covid-19 palliative controversy.
Its Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Gabriel Okonkwo said that Talabi had resigned as the MD/CEO of the company in December 2017, following which he (Okonkwo) was appointed to replace him. He said that Talabi also resigned as a Director of the company in June 2019.
Oyebade also confirmed Talabi’s status as regards Superflux, explaining that the latter had resigned as a Director of the company “once discussions had reached a stage when he made up his mind to serve his people in the capacity as SSG. The company in the said statement also frowned at being tagged as conduit for money laundering, siphoning of Covid-19 funds saying such allegations are clearly handiworks of mischief makers and traducers who were hell bent to tarnish the reputation of the company before its numerous customers and that of it’s former director, who is presently the Secretary to Ogun State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi”.
