The Socio-Financial Rights and Responsibility Mission (SERAP) has sued the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) over its alleged failure to account for greater than ₦126.46 billion appropriated for electoral operations. In a remark revealed on its web site, SERAP stated it filed the go well with, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2507/2026, on the Federal Top Court docket……
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) over its alleged failure to account for greater than ₦126.46 billion appropriated for electoral operations.
In a remark revealed on its web site, SERAP stated it filed the go well with, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2507/2026, on the Federal Top Court docket in Abuja final week, in quest of an order compelling INEC to expose main points of the expenditure, utilisation and disbursement of the budget.
The organisation stated the cash was once supposed for the procurement of poll packing containers, electoral gadgets, delicate fabrics, consequence sheets, automobiles and accreditation gadgets, in addition to audit and consultancy products and services, virtual archiving and different pieces required for election management.
In step with SERAP, the allegations had been contained within the 2023 audited file of the Auditor-Common of the Federation, revealed on August 7, 2026, and lined transactions between January and December 2022, with some extending to December 31, 2023.
SERAP is calling the court docket to compel INEC to offer a complete monetary and documentary account of the budget, together with quantities launched and paid, cost beneficiaries, contractors and their really useful house owners.
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In its go well with, the organisation stated, “Electoral assets are public assets. INEC will have to be capable of account for each naira, show that it was once lawfully spent and display that it served the needs for which it was once appropriated.”
It added that the allegations had been specifically regarding given the fee’s constitutional duties and the truth that the expenditure concerned public budget meant for managing the rustic’s electoral machine.
“With the 2027 basic elections drawing near, transparency and duty within the control of those budget are crucial to safeguarding public self assurance within the electoral procedure and making sure that assets meant to enhance credible elections are correctly utilised,” SERAP stated.
The organisation stated the Auditor-Common’s findings advised imaginable violations of the 1999 Charter, as amended, nationwide anti-corruption rules and Nigeria’s duties underneath the United International locations Conference in opposition to Corruption.
Bringing up the audit file, SERAP alleged that INEC “irregularly paid” greater than ₦112.15 billion for poll packing containers, electoral gadgets and different fabrics with out aggressive bidding or a Certificates of No Objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
“The Auditor-Common discovered ‘no proof that the pieces had been procured.’ The ‘contracts had been awarded to corporations whose competences, enjoy, capacities, addresses and manufacturing facility places had been unknown.’ He’s involved that the cash ‘will have been diverted.’ He desires the cash recovered,” the go well with said.
SERAP additionally cited an alleged cost of greater than ₦1.05 billion for Toyota Prado TXL 2021-model automobiles with out commercial, aggressive bidding, bid analysis or a BPP Certificates of No Objection.
In step with the go well with, the Auditor-Common raised issues that the budget “will have been misplaced” and that the contracts “will have been inflated.”
The organisation additional alleged that greater than ₦3.13 billion was once paid to 4 contractors for poll guides, delicate fabrics and consequence sheets prior to the contracts had been awarded, with out a proof of cost.
It stated the Auditor-Common was once involved that the cash “will have been diverted” and known as for its restoration and remittance to the treasury.
SERAP additionally alleged that greater than ₦9.24 billion was once paid for 22 contracts masking an identical items and products and services, with the contracts allegedly break up to avoid procurement procedures and awarded at the identical day.
“The Auditor-Common stated the cash ‘will have been misplaced’ and that ‘the cost will have been made for pieces now not equipped,’” the go well with said.
Different transactions highlighted by means of SERAP integrated an alleged cost of ₦129.37 million to 19 accounting corporations for monetary audit products and services with out proof of utilisation or expenditure by means of the experts.
The organisation additionally cited an alleged cost of ₦504.49 million for accreditation gadgets with out due procurement procedures, noting that the audit file raised issues over the timing of the protection licence key and the tool’s validity.
It additional alleged that ₦235.1 million was once paid to contractors described as unqualified for snoozing mats and virtual archiving, with the Auditor-Common elevating issues about their eligibility and capability.
SERAP is calling the court docket to compel INEC to offer documentary and bodily proof that the fabrics lined by means of the audit findings had been procured and to account for his or her provide location and standing.
The organisation additionally desires the fee directed to make certain that no electoral apparatus, fabrics or public property lined by means of the findings are disposed of, transferred, destroyed, written off or in a different way treated in some way that would frustrate transparency and duty.
It additional known as for the newsletter of the names of contractors, providers and experts who allegedly gained the budget irregularly, along any public officers who accredited, processed, facilitated or benefited from the transactions.
“Nigerians have a proper to understand each public act, the whole thing this is carried out within the public hobby, by means of their public establishments together with INEC,” SERAP stated.
The organisation’s legal professionals, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, filed the go well with on its behalf.
SERAP additionally cited Segment 15(5) of the Charter, which calls for public establishments to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of energy, and Segment 13, which units out duties for public government to watch and practice the provisions of Bankruptcy Two.
It additional referenced Article 25 of the World Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 13 of the African Constitution on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which give protection to voters’ rights to take part in public affairs.
No date has been mounted for the listening to of the go well with.