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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the electoral body to investigate allegations that governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) diverted about N800 billion in public funds for political and campaign purposes.
The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1426/2026 and filed last week, seeks an order of mandamus directing INEC to investigate claims that APC governors made monthly contributions from their Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations into a dedicated campaign fund allegedly intended to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.
SERAP is also asking the court to compel INEC to request full disclosure from the APC and the affected governors on the alleged campaign fund, including the identities of donors and the lawful sources of the contributions.
In addition, the organisation wants the court to direct the electoral commission to commence a formal review and investigation into compliance with Section 91 of the Electoral Act by political parties and candidates, particularly regarding the sources and scale of campaign financing in the current political cycle.
According to SERAP, the allegations raise fundamental concerns about transparency in political financing, electoral fairness and the constitutional rights of Nigerians to participate freely in the democratic process.
The suit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, argues that opaque political financing remains a major avenue for corruption and poses a significant threat to democratic legitimacy.
“Nigerians deserve to know who funds the candidates or political parties of their choice and the sources of any such funding,” the organisation stated.
SERAP maintained that the alleged diversion or opaque use of public funds on the reported scale could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections if left unchecked.
According to the organisation, large public fiscal flows, weak transparency mechanisms and inadequate oversight create opportunities for the misuse of public resources for political purposes, thereby compromising electoral integrity.
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The group further argued that Section 91 of the Electoral Act empowers INEC to regulate political donations, enforce contribution limits, demand disclosure of campaign funding and impose sanctions on individuals or political parties that violate the law.
It noted that the Electoral Act prescribes penalties for violations, including fines of up to N10 million for political parties that exceed donation limits, forfeiture of excess contributions, and fines amounting to five times the excess donations made by individuals.
SERAP also contended that the Nigerian Constitution places a duty on public institutions, including INEC, to ensure transparent, free and fair elections, prevent abuse of state resources and eliminate corrupt practices.
The organisation cited Sections 13, 14(2)(c) and 15(5) of the Constitution, arguing that they impose clear obligations on public institutions to safeguard democratic processes and prevent the misuse of public funds.
It further relied on Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, all of which require transparency in political financing and accountability in the management of public resources.
SERAP argued that where public funds are allegedly deployed to secure political advantage, the result goes beyond financial misconduct, amounting to a distortion of electoral competition and undermining citizens’ ability to freely choose their representatives.
The organisation insisted that any misuse of public resources for campaign purposes would constitute a serious violation of both domestic and international legal standards governing democratic elections.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
