The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the alleged missing or diversion of N55.9 billion earmarked for the procurement of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets, and other election materials for the 2019 general elections.
The allegations are contained in the latest annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025. SERAP’s suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In the suit, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus compelling INEC to account for the alleged missing or diverted N55.9 billion.
The organisation is also asking the court to direct INEC to publicly disclose the names of all contractors paid from the funds, including the identities of their directors and shareholders.
According to SERAP, the allegations raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s electoral management body.
The group argued that INEC must operate without corruption to guarantee free, fair, and credible elections and to uphold Nigerians’ constitutional right to political participation.
“INEC cannot ensure impartial administration of future elections if these allegations are not satisfactorily addressed, perpetrators including the contractors involved are not prosecuted, and the proceeds of corruption are not fully recovered,” SERAP said.
SERAP further contended that the failure to address the allegations undermines INEC’s ability to carry out its constitutional and statutory responsibilities, stressing that transparency, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law are fundamental to credible elections.
READ ALSO: SERAP asks Tinubu to publish certified copies of tax laws, seeks probe into alleged alterations
The lawsuit, filed on SERAP’s behalf by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, described the findings of the Auditor-General as a “grave violation of public trust, the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and international anti-corruption standards.”
According to the Auditor-General’s report, INEC allegedly “irregularly paid” over N5.3 billion to a contractor for the supply of smart card readers for the 2019 elections without prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) or the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The report stated that the payment was made without documentation and with no evidence that the items were supplied.
INEC reportedly claimed that approval was unnecessary because the procurement fell under national security exemptions. However, the Auditor-General rejected this justification as inconsistent with the Procurement Act and insisted that INEC should have obtained a Certificate of No Objection from the BPP. The Auditor-General expressed concern that the funds “may have been diverted” and called for their recovery and remittance to the treasury.
The report also alleged that INEC paid over N4.5 billion to six contractors for ballot papers and result sheets without documentary evidence of supply, advertisement, bid evaluation, approvals, or proof of contractor eligibility.
Similar concerns were raised over N331 million paid under “doubtful circumstances,” N2.1 billion in unremitted stamp duties, over N630 million in unretired cash advances, and contracts worth more than N41 billion awarded for printing election materials without due process.
In another instance, the Auditor-General queried the purchase of four Toyota Land Cruisers for over N297 million, noting that market surveys in 2019 placed the cost of each vehicle below N50 million, while INEC reportedly paid N74 million per unit.
Governance and electoral reform experts say the lawsuit underscores longstanding concerns about accountability in Nigeria’s electoral process. According to analysts, allegations of financial irregularities within INEC, if left unresolved, could further erode public confidence in elections.
A constitutional lawyer noted that the reliefs sought by SERAP, particularly the demand for disclosure of contractors and recovery of funds, could set an important precedent for transparency in public procurement.
“If the court grants these orders, it will reinforce the principle that electoral integrity is not just about voting, but also about how public funds are managed,” the lawyer said.
Anti-corruption advocates also stressed that procurement irregularities tied to election materials directly affect democratic credibility.
“When election funds are mismanaged, it raises questions about the integrity of the entire electoral process,” an analyst said, adding that timely prosecution and recovery of funds are essential to restoring trust.