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 public funds allegedly diverted, lost, mismanaged or otherwise unaccounted for.
The demand followed findings contained in the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on 7 August 2026.
SERAP said the funds were appropriated for electoral operations, including 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.
In a letter dated 12 September 2026 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP asked INEC and its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to provide details of the payments, beneficiaries, contracts, procurement processes, contractors and suppliers involved.
The organisation also demanded evidence showing the delivery, utilisation and current status of the goods, services and electoral assets concerned.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General’s findings covered transactions between January and December 2022 and, in some cases, extended to 31 December 2023.
Auditor-General’s findings
SERAP said the Auditor-General found that INEC had “irregularly paid” ₦112.15 billion for ballot boxes, electoral devices, items and materials without competitive bidding or a Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Certificate of No Objection.
The audit report reportedly found no evidence that the items were procured and noted that the contracts were awarded to companies whose competence, experience, capacity, addresses and factory locations were unknown.
The Auditor-General expressed concern that the money “may have been diverted” and recommended its recovery, according to SERAP.
SERAP also cited an alleged payment of ₦1.06 billion for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 models without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.
The Auditor-General reportedly expressed concerns that the money “may have been lost” and that the contracts “may have been inflated”.
Another ₦3.14 billion was allegedly paid to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result sheets before the contracts were awarded, SERAP said.
The Auditor-General reportedly raised concerns that the money “may have been diverted” and recommended its recovery and remittance to the treasury.
The audit also identified ₦9.25 billion allegedly paid for 22 contracts involving similar goods and services. SERAP said the contracts were split to circumvent procurement procedures and awarded on the same day.
The Auditor-General reportedly raised concerns that the money “may have been lost” and that payments may have been made for items that were not supplied.
Other payments questioned
SERAP further cited ₦129.38 million allegedly paid to 19 accounting firms for financial audit services without evidence of utilisation, requests or expenditure by the consultants.
The Auditor-General reportedly expressed concern that the money “may have been diverted” and recommended its recovery.
Another ₦504.49 million was allegedly paid for accreditation devices without following due procurement procedures.
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General noted that the APG had expired before the security licence key was delivered, while the software was valid for only four months, raising questions about economy and value for money.
The audit also reportedly identified ₦235.10 million paid to unqualified contractors for sleeping mats and digital archiving, with concerns raised about the eligibility and capacity of the contractors.
SERAP seeks investigations
SERAP urged Amupitan and INEC to refer the alleged diversion, unlawful expenditure, procurement violations and other financial misconduct identified by the Auditor-General to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
It also called for the identification of public officials, contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants responsible, as well as 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 recommended measures should be taken within seven days of receipt or publication of its letter.
“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,” it warned.
SERAP said the findings were particularly disturbing because of INEC’s constitutional role and the fact that the expenditure involved resources appropriated for administering Nigeria’s electoral system.
It also said the findings suggested “a grave violation of the public trust” and potentially breached the Nigerian Constitution, national anti-corruption laws and Nigeria’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.
Call for protection of electoral assets
SERAP further urged INEC to provide documentary and physical evidence that the more than ₦112 billion described as “irregularly paid” was actually used to procure the electoral materials concerned.
It asked the commission to account for the present location and status of those materials.
The organisation also called on 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 manner that could frustrate accountability or recovery pending reconciliation and any resulting investigation.
SERAP said any referral to the EFCC and ICPC should cover contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants who allegedly received the funds irregularly, as well as INEC 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 supplied, whether payments matched what was delivered and whether contracts were deliberately split to circumvent procurement requirements.
Where investigations establish that public funds were unlawfully received or expended, SERAP urged INEC to cooperate with the EFCC, ICPC, Auditor-General, Attorney-General of the Federation and other competent authorities to recover and remit the funds to the appropriate public account.
“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.
It added that democracy requires an informed citizenry and that citizens are entitled to know how resources entrusted to an electoral management body have been used.
