The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over ₦126.46 billion in public funds flagged for alleged irregular payments, questionable procurement and possible diversion.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeks to compel INEC to account for funds allocated for electoral materials, equipment, vehicles and other services ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2507/2026, SERAP is asking the court to order the commission to disclose how the money was spent, identify contractors and beneficiaries, and provide evidence that the procured items were delivered.
“Electoral resources are public resources. INEC must be able to account for every naira,” SERAP argued.
The suit cites the 2023 audited report of the auditor-general of the federation, published Aug. 7, 2026, which flagged more than ₦112.15 billion paid for ballot boxes, electoral devices and other materials without competitive bidding or the required procurement clearance.
According to SERAP, the report found no evidence that the items had been procured and raised concerns about the capacity of the companies awarded the contracts.
Other payments questioned include ₦9.24 billion for 22 contracts allegedly split to circumvent procurement rules, ₦3.13 billion paid to contractors for election materials before the contracts were awarded, and more than ₦1.05 billion spent on Toyota Prado vehicles.
The suit also questions payments for accreditation devices, audit services, sleeping mats and digital archiving. The allegations have not been established by a court.
SERAP wants INEC to publish the names of the contractors and officials involved, provide records showing how the funds were used, and disclose the location of the electoral materials.
“With the 2027 general elections approaching, transparency and accountability in the management of these funds are essential to safeguarding public confidence in the electoral process,” SERAP said.
The suit was filed by SERAP’s lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo. No hearing date has been fixed.
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