– Seeks courtroom order for disclosure of funds, contractors, procurement data
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its alleged failure to account for ₦126.46 billion appropriated for electoral operations, together with the procurement of election supplies, gear and automobiles.
SERAP is asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel INEC to reveal complete particulars of the expenditure, utilisation and disbursement of the funds, which the organisation says had been allegedly diverted, misplaced, mismanaged or in any other case unaccounted for.
The swimsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2507/2026, was filed final week following findings contained within the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, revealed on August 7, 2026.
According to SERAP, the funds had been earmarked for the procurement of poll containers, electoral gadgets, delicate election supplies, end result sheets, automobiles and accreditation gadgets, in addition to funds for audit and consultancy providers, digital archiving and different items and providers required for the conduct of elections.
The organisation is looking for an order of mandamus directing INEC to offer a full monetary and documentary account of the funds, together with the quantities launched and paid, the beneficiaries of the funds, particulars of contractors and their helpful house owners.
SERAP, within the swimsuit filed by its attorneys, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, maintained that electoral funds are public sources that have to be transparently managed and accounted for.
“Electoral resources are public resources. INEC must be able to account for every naira, demonstrate that it was lawfully spent and show that it served the purposes for which it was appropriated,” the organisation argued.
It described the allegations as notably disturbing, given INEC’s constitutional duty for managing Nigeria’s electoral system.
SERAP additional argued that transparency and accountability within the administration of electoral funds had been essential because the nation approaches the 2027 basic elections, warning that unresolved questions on public expenditure might undermine confidence within the electoral course of.
According to the swimsuit, the Auditor-General recognized a number of alleged procurement irregularities involving billions of naira.
SERAP cited findings that INEC allegedly paid ₦112.16 billion for poll containers, electoral gadgets, objects and supplies with out aggressive bidding or a Certificate of No Objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
The Auditor-General reportedly discovered no proof that the objects had been procured and raised considerations that the contracts had been awarded to corporations whose competence, expertise, capability, addresses and manufacturing unit places had been unknown.
The report warned that the funds might need been diverted and really helpful their restoration.
The organisation additionally cited an alleged cost of ₦1.06 billion for Toyota Prado TXL 2021-model automobiles with out commercial, aggressive bidding, bid analysis or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.
The Auditor-General reportedly raised considerations that the funds might need been misplaced and that the contracts might need been inflated.
Another discovering involved an alleged cost of ₦3.14 billion to 4 contractors for poll guides, delicate supplies and end result sheets earlier than the contracts had been awarded, with the report reportedly elevating considerations about attainable diversion of the funds.
SERAP additional alleged that INEC paid ₦9.25 billion for 22 contracts masking comparable items and providers, with the contracts allegedly break up to bypass procurement procedures and awarded on the identical day.
The Auditor-General reportedly questioned whether or not the objects had been equipped and warned that the funds might need resulted in monetary losses.
Other transactions highlighted within the swimsuit included ₦129.38 million allegedly paid to 19 accounting companies for monetary audit providers with out sufficient proof of utilisation or expenditure by the consultants.
The organisation additionally cited an alleged cost of ₦504.49 million for accreditation gadgets with out due procurement procedures.
According to the swimsuit, the Auditor-General raised considerations concerning the validity interval of the software program and the supply of the safety licence key, questioning whether or not the expenditure represented worth for cash.
Additionally, SERAP cited an alleged cost of ₦235.10 million to contractors described as unqualified for the availability of sleeping mats and digital archiving providers, with the Auditor-General reportedly recommending the restoration of the funds.
The organisation is asking the courtroom to compel INEC to offer documentary and bodily proof that the supplies reportedly lined by the ₦112.16 billion expenditure had been truly procured, in addition to particulars of their current location and standing.
It additionally needs the fee directed to protect all electoral gear, supplies and public belongings lined by the audit findings to stop their disposal, switch, destruction, write-off or some other motion that would frustrate transparency and accountability.
SERAP additional referred to as for the publication of the names of contractors, suppliers, corporations and consultants that allegedly acquired irregular funds, alongside the identities of any public officers who authorised, processed, facilitated or benefited from the transactions.
“Nigerians have a right to know whether the contracted goods and services were actually supplied; whether payments corresponded with goods and services actually delivered; and whether contracts were deliberately split to circumvent procurement requirements,” the organisation argued.
It maintained the alleged irregularities raised considerations about compliance with the 1999 Constitution, as amended, nationwide anti-corruption legal guidelines and Nigeria’s obligations below the United Nations Convention towards Corruption.
SERAP additionally cited Section 15(5) of the Constitution, which requires the state to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of energy, alongside Section 13, which locations a duty on public establishments to watch and apply the Constitution’s provisions.
The organisation additional referenced Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, arguing that residents’ participation in public affairs requires entry to details about the administration of public sources.
“Democracy requires an informed citizenry. That principle is directly relevant to public expenditure by an electoral management body: citizens are entitled to know how resources entrusted to INEC for the conduct of elections have been used,” the swimsuit said.
SERAP stated public disclosure of the expenditure was essential to safeguard residents’ confidence within the electoral course of and be sure that sources allotted for credible elections had been correctly utilised.
No date has been mounted for the listening to of the swimsuit.
