Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking answers over more than ₦126.46 billion in electoral spending allegedly affected by diversion, mismanagement, losses or inadequate documentation.
The suit, filed last week at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeks to compel INEC to disclose how the funds were spent, utilised and disbursed, according to a statement issued on Saturday by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP said the report identified more than ₦112.15 billion allegedly paid for ballot boxes and other electoral materials without competitive bidding or a Bureau of Public Procurement certificate. It also cited an alleged lack of evidence that the items had been procured. Other transactions flagged in the report include ₦1.05 billion for Toyota Prado vehicles; ₦3.13 billion paid to four contractors for electoral materials before contract awards; and ₦9.24 billion linked to 22 contracts allegedly split to circumvent procurement rules.
The report also reportedly identified ₦129.37 million paid to 19 accounting firms without evidence of service utilisation, ₦504.49 million for accreditation devices amid procurement and software concerns, and ₦235.1 million paid to contractors allegedly unqualified to supply sleeping mats and provide digital archiving services.
The organisation is asking the court to compel INEC to publish payment records, identify contractors and their beneficial owners, disclose officials who authorised or benefited from the transactions, and provide documentary and physical evidence of the materials purchased.
It is also seeking an order requiring the commission to preserve the relevant assets pending accountability proceedings. “Electoral resources are public resources. INEC must be able to account for every naira,” SERAP said, stressing that transparency was essential to maintaining public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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