The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days to account for over N126.46 billion in public funds, which it said were appropriated for electoral operations but allegedly diverted, lost, mismanaged or otherwise unaccounted for.
The organisation made the demand in a letter dated September 12, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP said 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 SERAP, the allegations are contained in the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on August 7, 2026. The findings, it said, covered various periods between January and December 2022 and, in some cases, extended to December 31, 2023.
SERAP urged INEC and its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to provide details of the expenditure, including the amounts paid, beneficiaries, contracts and procurement processes, contractors and suppliers involved, as well as evidence showing the delivery, utilisation and current status of the goods, services and electoral assets.
The organisation also called on INEC to refer the alleged 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 where necessary.
SERAP further urged the commission to identify public officials, contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants responsible for the transactions and take steps to recover any funds found to have been unlawfully or irregularly paid, lost, diverted or paid for goods and services that were not supplied or properly utilised.
“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.
The organisation said the Auditor-General had raised concerns over several transactions involving INEC.
SERAP cited a finding that INEC “irregularly paid” N112.15 billion for ballot boxes, electoral devices, items and materials without competitive bidding or a Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Certificate of No Objection.
It said the Auditor-General reported that there was no evidence that the items were procured and that contracts were awarded to companies whose competence, experience, capacity, addresses and factory locations were unknown. The Auditor-General, according to SERAP, raised concerns that the money “may have been diverted” and called for its recovery.
SERAP also cited the payment of N1.05 billion for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 models without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.
The organisation said the Auditor-General expressed concerns that the funds “may have been lost” and that the contracts “may have been inflated.”
Another transaction highlighted by SERAP involved more than N3.13 billion allegedly paid to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result sheets before the contracts were awarded, with the Auditor-General reportedly finding no evidence of payment.
SERAP said the Auditor-General was concerned that the money “may have been diverted” and called for its recovery and remittance to the treasury.
The organisation also cited N9.24 billion allegedly paid for 22 contracts involving similar goods and services, with the contracts reportedly split to circumvent procurement procedures and awarded on the same day.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General said the money “may have been lost” and that payment may have been made for items that were not supplied.
Other transactions highlighted included N129.37 million paid to 19 accounting firms for financial audit services without evidence of utilisation or requests and expenditure by the consultants; N504.49 million paid for accreditation devices without due procurement procedures; and N235.1 million paid to contractors for sleeping mats and digital archiving.
SERAP said the Auditor-General raised concerns about the eligibility and capacity of some of the contractors involved in the latter transaction.
The organisation called on INEC to provide documentary and physical evidence that the N112.15 billion identified as “irregularly paid” was used to procure the electoral materials concerned and to 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,” SERAP said.
SERAP gave INEC seven days from the receipt or publication of its letter to take the recommended measures, warning that it would pursue legal action if the commission failed to comply.
“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 organisation said.
It also urged INEC to 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 way that could frustrate accountability or recovery pending reconciliation and any resulting investigation.
SERAP said any referral to the EFCC and ICPC should cover not only contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants who received the funds but also INEC officials or other public officials who authorised, processed, facilitated or benefited from the transactions.
It said investigations should establish whether the contracted goods and services were actually supplied, whether payments corresponded with goods and services delivered, and whether contracts were deliberately split to circumvent procurement requirements.
SERAP also called for the recovery and remittance of any public funds found to have been unlawfully received or expended.
The organisation said INEC’s obligations under the Nigerian Constitution, national anti-corruption laws and international instruments require transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
SERAP cited Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution, which it said requires public institutions, including INEC, to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power.
The organisation also referred to Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption, as well as provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights concerning public participation and access to information.
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