The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission at the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged failure to account for more than N126.46bn appropriated for electoral operations.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2507/2026, seeks an order of mandamus compelling INEC to disclose details of the expenditure, utilization, and disbursement of the funds earmarked for the procurement of election materials, equipment, and vehicles, as well as other electoral services.
SERAP is also seeking an order compelling the electoral commission to provide a comprehensive financial and documentary account of the funds, including the amounts released and paid, the beneficiaries of the payments, and the identities of contractors and their beneficial owners.
The organization instituted the action following allegations contained in the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on August 7, 2026.
According to the report, the alleged irregularities covered transactions undertaken between January and December 2022, with some extending to December 31, 2023.
In the suit filed by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, SERAP said that the allegations raised serious concerns about the management of public funds by the electoral commission.
It stated, “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 organization added that the allegations were particularly disturbing because of INEC’s constitutional responsibilities and the importance of the funds to the administration of Nigeria’s electoral system.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General’s report identified several transactions in which billions of naira were allegedly paid without compliance with procurement requirements or sufficient evidence that the contracted goods and services were supplied.
The suit stated that INEC allegedly paid N112,155,597,845 for ballot boxes, electoral devices, and other materials without competitive bidding or a certificate of no objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
It quoted the Auditor-General as stating that there was “no evidence that the items were procured” and that the contracts were awarded to companies whose “competences, experience, capacities, addresses, and factory locations were unknown.”
The Auditor-General reportedly expressed concern that the funds “may have been diverted” and recommended their recovery.
SERAP also alleged that the commission paid N1,058,925,000 for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 model vehicles without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation, or a certificate of no objection from the BPP.
The organization quoted the Auditor-General as expressing concern that the money “may have been lost” and that the contracts “may have been inflated.”
