SERAP gives INEC 7 days to account for ₦126bn ‘diverted electoral funds’ or face legal action

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days to “account for over ₦126.46 billion in public funds appropriated for electoral operations but allegedly diverted, lost, mismanaged or otherwise unaccounted for.”

The funds relate to the procurement of ballot boxes, electoral devices and materials, sensitive materials and result sheets, vehicles, accreditation devices, audit and consultancy services, digital archiving and other goods and services required for the conduct and administration of elections.

According to the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on 7 August 2026, the findings variously covered periods between January and December 2022 and, in some cases, extended to 31 December 2023.

SERAP urged INEC to “account for the over ₦126 billion, including the amounts paid, the beneficiaries of the payments, the contracts and procurement processes, the contractors and suppliers involved, and evidence of delivery, utilisation and the current status of the goods, services and electoral assets concerned.”

SERAP also urged Professor Joash Amupitan and INEC “to refer the alleged diversion, unlawful expenditure, procurement violations and other financial misconduct documented by the Auditor-General to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation, prosecution and recovery.”

SERAP urged Professor Amupitan and INEC “to identify the public officials, contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants responsible and take all necessary steps to recover any of the over ₦126 billion found to have been unlawfully or irregularly paid, lost, diverted, or paid for goods and services not supplied or properly utilised.”

In the letter dated 12 September 2026 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “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.”

SERAP said, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and INEC to comply with our request in the public interest.”

The letter, read in part: “These findings are particularly disturbing given the constitutional importance of INEC and the fact that the expenditure concerns resources appropriated for the administration of Nigeria’s electoral system.”

“These findings suggest a grave violation of the public trust and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), national anticorruption laws, and the country’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.”

“According to the Auditor-General, INEC ‘irregularly paid’ over ₦112 billion [₦112,155,597,845.00] ‘for ballot boxes, electoral devices, items and materials without competitive bidding or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.’”

“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.’ He is concerned that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered.”

“INEC also ‘paid over ₦1 billion [₦1,058,925,000.00] for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 Model without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.’ The Auditor-General fears that the money ‘may have been lost’ and that the contracts ‘may have been inflated.’”

“INEC ‘paid over ₦3 billion [₦3,136,806,050.00] to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result sheets before the contracts were awarded, with no evidence of payment.’ The Auditor-General is concerned that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

“INEC also ‘paid over ₦9 billion [₦9,245,965,502.60] for 22 contracts for similar goods and services’, with the contracts ‘split to circumvent procurement procedures and awarded on the same day.’ The Auditor-General said the money ‘may have been lost’ and that ‘the payment may have been made for items not supplied.’”

“INEC ‘paid over ₦129 million [₦129,375,000.00] to 19 accounting firms for financial audit services without evidence of utilisation or requests and expenditure by the consultants.’ The Auditor-General raised concerns that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

“INEC also ‘paid over ₦504 million [₦504,492,641.00] for accreditation devices without due procurement process. The ‘APG had expired before the security licence key was delivered and the software was valid for only four months, raising questions about economy and value for money.’ The Auditor-General also raised concerns that the money ‘may have been diverted.’”

“INEC ‘paid over ₦235 million [₦235,103,000.00] to unqualified contractors for sleeping mats and digital archiving.’ The Auditor-General identified ‘serious concerns regarding the eligibility and capacity of the contractors’, and raised concerns that the money ‘may have been lost.’ He wants the money recovered.”

“INEC should provide documentary and physical evidence that the over ₦112 billion identified as ‘irregularly paid’ was actually used to procure the electoral materials concerned and account for the present location and status of those materials.”

“Nigerians have a right to know every public act, everything that is done in the public interest, by their public institutions including INEC.”

“Democracy requires an informed citizenry. That principle is directly relevant to public expenditure by an electoral management body: citizens are entitled to know how resources entrusted to INEC for the conduct of elections have been used.”

“INEC should also ensure that no electoral equipment, material or other public asset covered by the Auditor-General’s findings is disposed of, transferred, destroyed, written off or otherwise dealt with in a manner that could frustrate accountability or recovery pending completion of the reconciliation and any resulting investigation.”

“Any referral to the EFCC and ICPC should expressly cover the contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants who irregularly received public funds, as well as any INEC officials or other public officials who authorised, processed, facilitated or benefited from the transactions.”

“The recommended investigations should determine, among other things: whether the contracted goods and services were actually supplied; whether payments corresponded with goods and services actually delivered; and whether contracts were deliberately split to circumvent procurement requirements.”

“Where investigations establish that public funds were unlawfully received or expended, INEC should cooperate fully with the EFCC, ICPC, Auditor-General, Attorney-General of the Federation and other competent authorities to secure recovery and remittance of the funds to the appropriate public account.”

“Recovery should extend to all amounts established to have been unlawfully or irregularly paid, together with any other recoverable public loss established through the investigations.”

“SERAP notes that Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions including INEC to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on INEC to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.”

“Nigeria’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption requires INEC to adopt preventive anti-corruption policies and transparent public procurement and public financial management.”

“Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party protect citizens’ rights to participate in public affairs.”