Abuja, Jan. 2026 (Naija247news) — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the alleged mismanagement of ₦55.9 billion earmarked for the procurement of election materials for Nigeria’s 2019 general elections.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja following revelations contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2025 annual report, published on September 9, 2025.
SERAP is seeking a court order compelling INEC to account for the funds, disclose the identities of contractors involved, including their directors and shareholders, and ensure the recovery of any missing public funds.
Alleged Procurement Irregularities
According to the Auditor-General’s report, INEC allegedly made several payments to contractors without due process, proper approvals, or supporting documentation, raising serious concerns about transparency and accountability.
Among the key allegations:
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₦5.3 billion allegedly paid to a contractor for smart card readers without approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) or the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and without evidence of delivery. INEC reportedly claimed the procurement was covered under national security exemptions, a justification rejected by the Auditor-General.
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₦4.5 billion allegedly paid to six contractors for ballot papers and result sheets without documentation, including bid evaluation records and contractor eligibility verification.
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₦41 billion reportedly spent on printing election materials without evidence of due procurement process.
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₦297 million allegedly paid for four Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles at prices far above prevailing market rates.
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Failure to retire over ₦630 million in cash advances issued to officials.
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Failure to deduct more than ₦2.1 billion in statutory stamp duties from contractor payments.
SERAP: Allegations Undermine Electoral Integrity
In a statement, SERAP said the allegations represent a grave breach of public trust and threaten the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.
“INEC cannot guarantee impartial and credible elections if allegations of this magnitude are not thoroughly investigated, perpetrators held accountable, and stolen public funds recovered,” the organisation said.
SERAP added that the commission’s alleged actions violate the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as Nigeria’s obligations under international anti-corruption conventions.
Legal Demands
SERAP’s legal team, led by Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, is asking the court to compel INEC to:
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Publicly disclose details of all contractors involved
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Account for all payments made for the 2019 election materials
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Recover missing funds
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Refer suspected cases of corruption for prosecution
No hearing date has yet been fixed by the court.
Growing Scrutiny of Election Spending
The lawsuit comes amid renewed scrutiny of election financing and procurement practices in Nigeria, as civil society groups intensify pressure on public institutions to uphold transparency ahead of future elections.
INEC has yet to issue an official response to the suit as of the time of filing this report.
Emman Tochi ✔
Emma Tochi is Naija247news Media Northern Bureau Chief, he's based in FCT Abuja. He overseas the northern operations of this business media
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