Stakeholders in the public procurement sector have voiced concerns over what they described as a plot to undermine reforms being undertaken by the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP.
BPP, established by the Public Procurement Act, 2007, is the regulatory authority responsible for the monitoring and oversight of public procurement in Nigeria.
The stakeholders, under the aegis of the Progressives Thin-tank, said statements issued by a group named Nigeria Coalition for Justice and Accountability, NCJA, and a whistleblower, Musa Aliyu, are part of the plot to truncate the reforms by blackmailing the management of the BPP. The statements had alleged massive corruption, procurement abuses, and misconduct within the BPP.
However, the procurement stakeholders, in a statement signed by Titus C. Ayodele, said investigations have revealed that the group, NCJA, and the whistleblower, Musa Aliyu, are faceless and fictitious entities and are not known in the procurement community.
“Our independent finding has revealed that the group is not registered, has no verifiable address, and is unknown within the civil society and procurement reform community. It exists only on paper and was created solely to mislead the public.
“There is no evidence to substantiate the claims of bribery, illegal dealings, or procurement misconduct as alleged. The narratives are fabricated to create unnecessary tension and damage the reputation of dedicated public officials.
“This campaign of falsehood is a desperate attempt to undermine ongoing reforms. We urge the public to disregard the misleading publication by this non-existent coalition whose intention is to blackmail public officials and derail critical procurement reforms.
“The Forum of National Procurement Stakeholders reaffirms its confidence in the management and staff of the BPP. We remain committed to supporting the Bureau as it continues delivering transparency, accountability, and cost-efficiency in the nation’s procurement system,” the statement added.
The stakeholders noted that over the last two years, the BPP has saved trillions of naira through the elimination of contract padding and overpricing; actualized full digitalisation of procurement submissions by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, and set up a two-week maximum processing timeline for the review of procurement requests, thereby improving efficiency and transparency.
They added that the Bureau has strengthened compliance mechanisms that have boosted investor confidence and reduced opportunities for corruption in public procurement.
“The allegations contradict verifiable reforms and achievements. The BPP has deepened transparency, expanded e-procurement systems, and improved value-for-money processes,” the stakeholders added.
They called on security agencies to investigate the individuals behind this fictitious group, and alleged plot, and bring them to account for attempting to misinform the public and distort the progress recorded by the BPP.