SERAP sues INEC over failure to account for ‘₦126bn electoral funds’

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit towards the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) “over its failure to account for over ₦126.46 billion in public finances appropriated for electoral operations however allegedly diverted, misplaced, mismanaged or another way unaccounted for.”

The finances had been supposed to shop for poll containers, electoral gadgets and fabrics, delicate fabrics and outcome sheets, cars and accreditation gadgets, and to pay for audit and consultancy services and products, virtual archiving, and different items and services and products required for the behavior and management of elections.

Consistent with the 2023 audited document of the Auditor-Normal of the Federation, printed on 7 August 2026, the allegations variously coated sessions between January and December 2022 and, in some instances, prolonged to 31 December 2023.

Within the go well with quantity FHC/ABJ/CS/2507/2026, filed ultimate week on the Federal Prime Courtroom in Abuja, SERAP is looking for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to promptly divulge detailed knowledge at the expenditure, utilisation and disbursement of over ₦126.46 billion appropriated for electoral operations, together with the procurement of election fabrics, apparatus, and cars.”

SERAP may be searching for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to divulge a complete monetary and documentary account of the over ₦126 billion appropriated for electoral operations, together with quantities launched and paid, fee beneficiaries, main points of contractors and their really helpful house owners.”

Within the go well with, SERAP is arguing that: “Electoral assets are public assets. INEC should be capable to account for each naira, show that it used to be lawfully spent and display that it served the needs for which it used to be appropriated.”

SERAP may be arguing that: “Those allegations are in particular worrying given the constitutional significance of INEC and the truth that the expenditure considerations assets appropriated for the management of Nigeria’s electoral machine.”

Consistent with SERAP, “With the 2027 basic elections coming near, transparency and duty within the control of those finances are very important to safeguarding public self belief within the electoral procedure and making sure that assets meant to improve credible elections are correctly utilised.”

SERAP is arguing that, “Those findings through the Auditor-Normal counsel a grave violation of the general public agree with and the provisions of the Nigerian Charter 1999 (as amended), nationwide anticorruption rules, and the rustic’s tasks below the UN Conference towards Corruption.”

The lawsuit filed on behalf of SERAP through its legal professionals, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, reads partially: “Democracy calls for an educated citizenry. That theory is without delay related to public expenditure through an electoral control frame: voters are entitled to know the way assets entrusted to INEC for the behavior of elections were used.”

“Consistent with the Auditor-Normal, INEC ‘irregularly paid’ over ₦112 billion [₦112,155,597,845.00] ‘for poll containers, electoral gadgets, pieces and fabrics with out aggressive bidding or a BPP Certificates of No Objection.’”

“The Auditor-Normal discovered ‘no proof that the pieces had been procured.’ The ‘contracts had been awarded to firms whose competences, enjoy, capacities, addresses and manufacturing facility places had been unknown.’ He’s involved that the cash ‘will have been diverted.’ He needs the cash recovered.”

“INEC additionally ‘paid over ₦1 billion [₦1,058,925,000.00] for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 Fashion with out commercial, aggressive bidding, bid analysis or a BPP Certificates of No Objection.’ The Auditor-Normal fears that the cash ‘will have been misplaced’ and that the contracts ‘will have been inflated.’”

“INEC ‘paid over ₦3 billion [₦3,136,806,050.00] to 4 contractors for poll guides, delicate fabrics and outcome sheets sooner than the contracts had been awarded, without a proof of fee.’ The Auditor-Normal is anxious that the cash ‘will have been diverted.’ He needs the cash recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

“INEC additionally ‘paid over ₦9 billion [₦9,245,965,502.60] for 22 contracts for equivalent items and services and products’, with the contracts ‘cut up to avoid procurement procedures and awarded at the similar day.’ The Auditor-Normal mentioned the cash ‘will have been misplaced’ and that ‘the fee will have been made for pieces no longer equipped.’”

“INEC ‘paid over ₦129 million [₦129,375,000.00] to 19 accounting companies for monetary audit services and products with out proof of utilisation or requests and expenditure through the specialists.’ The Auditor-Normal raised considerations that the cash ‘will have been diverted.’ He needs the cash recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

“INEC additionally ‘paid over ₦504 million [₦504,492,641.00] for accreditation gadgets with out due procurement procedure. The ‘APG had expired sooner than the protection licence key used to be delivered and the instrument used to be legitimate for most effective 4 months, elevating questions on economic system and worth for cash.’ The Auditor-Normal additionally raised considerations that the cash ‘will have been diverted.’”

“INEC ‘paid over ₦235 million [₦235,103,000.00] to unqualified contractors for sound asleep mats and virtual archiving.’ The Auditor-Normal recognized ‘critical considerations in regards to the eligibility and capability of the contractors’, and raised considerations that the cash ‘will have been misplaced.’ He needs the cash recovered.”

“INEC will have to supply documentary and bodily proof that the over ₦112 billion recognized as ‘irregularly paid’ used to be in fact used to obtain the electoral fabrics involved and account for the prevailing location and standing of the ones fabrics.”

“Nigerians have a proper to understand each public act, the whole thing this is carried out within the public pastime, through their public establishments together with INEC.”

“INEC will have to be directed to be sure that no electoral apparatus, subject material or different public asset coated through the Auditor-Normal’s findings is disposed of, transferred, destroyed, written off or another way handled in a way that might frustrate transparency and duty.”

“The names of the contractors, firms, providers and specialists who irregularly gained public finances, in addition to any INEC officers or different public officers who authorized, processed, facilitated or benefited from the transactions will have to be broadly printed.”

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“Nigerians have the appropriate to understand whether or not the shrunk items and services and products had been in fact equipped; whether or not bills corresponded with items and services and products in fact delivered; and whether or not contracts had been intentionally cut up to avoid procurement necessities.”

“SERAP notes that Segment 15(5) of the Nigerian Charter calls for public establishments together with INEC to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of energy. Segment 13 of the Nigerian Charter imposes transparent accountability on INEC to adapt to, follow and observe the provisions of Bankruptcy 2 of the charter.”

“Nigeria’s tasks below the UN Conference towards Corruption calls for INEC to undertake preventive anti-corruption insurance policies and clear public procurement and public monetary control.”

“Article 25 of the World Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 13 of the African Constitution on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state celebration offer protection to voters’ rights to take part in public affairs.”

No date has been mounted for the listening to of the go well with.