The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has cautioned against what it described as a calculated smear campaign aimed at discrediting the leadership of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), warning that the effort is designed to sabotage ongoing reforms in the nation’s procurement architecture.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said it had examined a document currently being circulated as a “petition” by a relatively obscure group known as the Conference of Civil Society for Transparency and Accountability (COCTA). The group claims to be amplifying earlier allegations attributed to one Musa Aliyu, Esq.
HURIWA, however, said its assessment of the document, backed by credible intelligence, suggests that the petition is neither organic nor driven by genuine concern for accountability. Instead, the association described it as a diversionary tactic allegedly orchestrated by vested interests unsettled by the BPP’s insistence on strict adherence to the Public Procurement Act.
According to the rights group, reliable information indicates that certain individuals within and around the Bureau had sought to unduly influence officials to issue Certificates of No Objection without meeting statutory requirements. These overtures, HURIWA noted, were decisively rejected by the current leadership, triggering what it described as a backlash of petitions, media narratives and coordinated pressure.
The association further alleged that the campaign involves disgruntled former staff and external actors who failed in previous attempts to secure the Bureau’s top job and remain embittered by the transparent, merit-based process that produced the incumbent Director-General.
Describing the unfolding scenario as a familiar playbook, Comrade Onwubiko said the aim was to manufacture controversy, weaken institutional authority and create openings for undue control of a strategic public institution. “This is not about reform or accountability; it is about revenge and institutional capture,” he said.
HURIWA also faulted the petition for lacking substance, noting that it is devoid of verifiable evidence, documentary backing or independent confirmation, and instead relies on sensational claims crafted to inflame public opinion.
The group warned journalists, the public and security agencies to exercise caution and avoid being drawn into what it termed a sponsored distraction capable of undermining procurement reforms.
While affirming that the BPP leadership under Mr. Adebowale Adedokun should remain open to lawful scrutiny, HURIWA stressed that public institutions must be protected from blackmail, media trials and the manipulation of civil society platforms by aggrieved interests.
It urged the BPP Director-General to stay the course, remain undistracted by what it described as frivolous allegations, and continue enforcing transparency, accountability and due process in line with the law.
HURIWA also welcomed reports that a detailed dossier is being compiled on those allegedly involved in attempts to improperly influence procurement decisions, saying such information should be handed over to relevant security agencies for impartial investigation.
“No amount of coordinated noise should be allowed to derail reforms that are essential to restoring integrity and public confidence in Nigeria’s procurement system,” the association concluded.
