The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged irregularities involving over N126.46 billion appropriated for electoral operations.
The organisation is asking a federal high court in Abuja to
compel INEC to disclose how the funds were spent, including details of
procurement contracts, payments, contractors and their beneficial owners.
In the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2507/2026 and filed last
week, SERAP said the funds were meant for ballot boxes, electoral devices,
sensitive materials, result sheets, vehicles, accreditation equipment, audit
and consultancy services, digital archiving and other electoral needs.
The allegations, according to the organisation, are
contained in the 2023 audited report of the auditor-general of the federation,
published on August 7, 2026. They cover transactions between January and
December 2022, with some extending to December 31, 2023.
SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus compelling INEC to
provide a comprehensive financial and documentary account of the funds,
including amounts released and paid, payment beneficiaries and the identities
of contractors and their beneficial owners.
According to the organisation, the auditor-general flagged
more than N112.15 billion allegedly paid for ballot boxes, electoral devices
and other materials without competitive bidding or a certificate of no
objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
“The Auditor-General found ‘no evidence that the items were
procured.’ The ‘contracts were awarded to companies whose competences,
experience, capacities, addresses and factory locations were unknown,’” SERAP
said, quoting the report.
The auditor-general reportedly warned that the money might
have been diverted and recommended its recovery.
SERAP also cited the alleged payment of N1.06 billion for
Toyota Prado TXL 2021 models without , competitive bidding, bid evaluation or
the required BPP certificate.
The auditor-general reportedly raised concerns that the
funds might have been lost and the contracts inflated.
The organisation further alleged that INEC paid N3.14
billion to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result
sheets before the contracts were awarded. Another N9.25 billion was allegedly
paid for 22 contracts covering similar goods and services, which the
auditor-general said were split to circumvent procurement procedures.
Other transactions flagged in the report include N129.38
million paid to 19 accounting firms for financial audit services without
evidence of utilisation, N504.49 million for accreditation devices under an
allegedly irregular procurement process, and N235.1 million paid to contractors
described as unqualified for sleeping mats and digital archiving.
SERAP said the allegations raise concerns about public
accountability and compliance with anti-corruption laws.
“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
said.
It added that transparency was particularly important with
the 2027 general elections approaching, arguing that accountability in the
management of electoral funds was necessary to sustain public confidence in the
process.
SERAP is also asking the court to compel INEC to provide
documentary and physical evidence that the materials covered by the audit
findings were procured and disclose their current location and status.
The organisation wants the names of contractors, suppliers,
consultants and public officials who authorised, processed or facilitated the
transactions, or benefited from them, to be made public. It also wants INEC to
ensure that assets covered by the findings are not disposed of, transferred,
destroyed or written off in ways that could undermine accountability.
The suit, filed by
Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, lawyers to
SERAP, cites provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the United Nations Convention
against Corruption, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
SERAP argues that Nigerians have a right to know whether the
contracted goods and services were supplied, whether payments matched
deliveries and whether contracts were deliberately split to evade procurement
rules.
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