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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days to account for more than ₦126.46 billion in electoral funds allegedly diverted, lost, mismanaged or otherwise unaccounted for.
SERAP said the alleged irregularities were contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2023 audited report and involved funds appropriated for ballot boxes, electoral devices and materials, result sheets, vehicles, audit and consultancy services, digital archiving and other election-related goods and services.
In a letter dated September 12, 2026, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, the organisation warned that it would take “all appropriate legal actions” if the commission failed to respond within seven days.
SERAP also asked INEC to refer the alleged financial irregularities to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation, prosecution and recovery of funds where appropriate.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General’s findings, published on August 7, 2026, covered transactions and activities carried out mainly between January and December 2022, with some extending to December 31, 2023. Among the major findings cited by SERAP was the alleged irregular payment of ₦112.16 billion for ballot boxes, electoral devices, items and materials without competitive bidding or a Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Certificate of No Objection.
SERAP said the Auditor-General found no evidence that the items were procured and raised concerns about contracts awarded to companies whose competence, experience, capacity, addresses and factory locations were allegedly unknown.
According to the organisation, the Auditor-General expressed concern that the ₦112.16 billion “may have been diverted” and recommended its recovery.
The electoral commission was also alleged to have paid ₦1.06 billion for Toyota Prado TXL 2021-model vehicles without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.
SERAP said concerns were raised that the funds might have been lost and the contracts inflated.
Another ₦3.14 billion was allegedly paid to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result sheets before the contracts were awarded, while ₦9.25 billion paid under 22 contracts for similar goods and services was questioned over alleged contract splitting to circumvent procurement procedures.
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The Auditor-General, according to SERAP, raised concerns that payments might have been made for items that were not supplied.
Other transactions questioned included ₦504.49 million allegedly paid for accreditation devices without due procurement procedures; ₦235.1 million paid to allegedly unqualified contractors for sleeping mats and digital archiving; and ₦129.38 million paid to 19 accounting firms for financial audit services without evidence of utilisation or requests and expenditure by the consultants.
SERAP demanded details of the expenditure, including amounts paid, beneficiaries, contracts and procurement processes, contractors and suppliers involved, as well as documentary and physical evidence that the goods and services were delivered.
“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 particularly asked INEC to produce evidence that the more than ₦112 billion allegedly “irregularly paid” was actually used to procure the electoral materials and disclose the present location and status of the materials.
It also urged the commission to preserve electoral equipment, materials and other public assets covered by the audit findings pending reconciliation and possible investigations.
SERAP said any referral to the EFCC and ICPC should extend to contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants who allegedly received irregular payments, as well as public officials who authorised, processed, facilitated or benefited from the transactions.
It said investigations should establish whether the contracted goods and services were supplied, whether payments corresponded with what was delivered and whether contracts were deliberately split to circumvent procurement requirements.
“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.
