The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Independent National Electoral Commission to account for more than N126.46bn in electoral funds allegedly diverted, irregularly spent or otherwise unaccounted for.
SERAP, in a letter dated September 12, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to provide details of the expenditure and account for the public funds.
The organisation said the funds were allocated for 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 items required for electoral operations.
Its demand followed findings contained in the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on August 7, 2026.
According to SERAP, the audit report identified several questionable transactions involving INEC, including more than N112.15bn 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.
It said the Auditor-General reported that there was no evidence that the items had been procured, while the contracts were awarded to companies whose competence, experience, capacity, addresses and factory locations were unknown.
The audit report, according to SERAP, raised the possibility that the money may have been diverted and recommended its recovery.
SERAP also cited an alleged payment of N1.05bn for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 Model without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.
It said the Auditor-General expressed concern that the funds may have been lost and that the contracts could have been inflated.
The rights group further alleged that INEC paid N3.13bn to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result sheets before the contracts were awarded, while another N9.24bn was allegedly paid for 22 contracts for similar goods and services.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General found that the contracts in the latter case were split and awarded on the same day, allegedly to circumvent procurement procedures, and raised concerns that payments may have been made for items that were not supplied.
Other transactions highlighted by the organisation included N129.37m paid to 19 accounting firms for financial audit services without evidence of utilisation, N504.49m for accreditation devices allegedly procured without due process, and N235.1m paid to unqualified contractors for sleeping mats and digital archiving.
SERAP urged Amupitan and INEC to provide documentary and physical evidence showing that the funds were used for their approved purposes and to disclose the current location and status of the electoral materials and assets involved.
The organisation also called on INEC to identify officials, contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants responsible for the transactions and take steps to recover any money found to have been unlawfully or irregularly paid.
It further demanded that the alleged financial irregularities be referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for investigation, prosecution and recovery where appropriate.
SERAP said any investigation should establish whether the contracted goods and services were supplied, whether payments corresponded with actual deliveries and whether contracts were deliberately divided to evade procurement requirements.
“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 warned that electoral equipment and other public assets covered by the Auditor-General’s findings should not be disposed of, transferred, destroyed or written off in a manner that could frustrate accountability or recovery.
SERAP said Nigerians have a right to know how public funds entrusted to electoral institutions are spent, stressing that transparency in electoral expenditure was essential to public confidence in the democratic process.
The organisation said it would take “all appropriate legal actions” if INEC failed to act on its demands within seven days of receiving or being notified of the letter.
SERAP further argued that the alleged financial irregularities could amount to violations of constitutional provisions, national anti-corruption laws and Nigeria’s obligations under international anti-corruption and human rights instruments.