The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a prominent Nigerian civil society organization, has taken legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its alleged failure to provide a proper accounting of ₦55.9 billion in public funds earmarked for the 2019 general elections.
The suit, filed on January 3, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026, seeks a court order of mandamus to compel INEC to:
Fully account for the missing or diverted ₦55.9 billion, which was intended for procuring critical election materials including smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets, and other essential items.
Publicly disclose the names of all contractors who received payments from these funds, along with details of their directors, shareholders, and related information.
The allegations stem from findings in the Auditor-General of the Federation's latest annual report, published on September 9, 2025 (covering the 2022 audited accounts).
The report highlighted several irregularities, including an irregular payment of over ₦5.3 billion (specifically ₦5,312,238,499.39) to a contractor for smart card readers without proper approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) or the Federal Executive Council, and without verifiable evidence of actual supplies being delivered.
SERAP argues that such lapses represent serious breaches of transparency, accountability, and the rule of law, directly threatening public trust in Nigeria's electoral process.
The organization emphasized that corruption in the procurement of election materials undermines citizens' constitutional right to participate in free, fair, transparent, and credible elections.
Key statements from SERAP's filing include:“INEC must operate without corruption if the commission is to ensure free and fair elections in the country and uphold Nigerians’ right to participation.”
“INEC cannot ensure impartial administration of future elections if these allegations are not satisfactorily addressed, perpetrators including the contractors involved are not prosecuted and the proceeds of corruption are not fully recovered.”
The lawsuit, handled by SERAP's legal team including Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, describes the Auditor-General's findings as a “grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and international anticorruption standards.
”This legal action follows SERAP's earlier demands in December 2025, when the group issued a seven-day ultimatum to INEC's leadership to explain the funds and refer the matter to anti-corruption agencies demands that reportedly went unmet, prompting the court filing.
No immediate response from INEC has been detailed in public reports, and the case is expected to draw significant attention amid ongoing discussions about electoral integrity in Nigeria.
The matter remains pending before the Federal High Court.
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