RismadarVoice Reporters
January 11, 2026
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its alleged failure to account for ₦55.9 billion earmarked for the procurement of election materials for the 2019 general elections.
SERAP disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, noting that the funds were meant for the purchase of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets, and other essential election materials.
According to the Organisation, the allegations are contained in the latest annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF), published on September 9, 2025.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja. SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus compelling INEC to account for the allegedly missing or diverted ₦55.9 billion.
The Organisation is also asking the court to compel INEC to disclose the names of all contractors paid from the funds, as well as the names of their directors and shareholders, for the procurement of election materials used during the 2019 polls.
In documents filed by SERAP’s legal team, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo – the group cited a 2022 audited report of the AGF, which alleged that INEC “irregularly paid” over ₦5.3 billion (₦5,312,238,499.39) to a contractor for the supply of smart card readers.
According to the report, the contract was allegedly awarded without prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Federal Executive Council, while payments were reportedly made without documentation or evidence of supply.
INEC reportedly claimed that approval was unnecessary because the procurement fell under national defence or national security exemptions in the Procurement Act. However, SERAP said the Auditor-General rejected the claim, describing it as “alien to the Procurement Act,” and maintained that INEC ought to have obtained a Certificate of No Objection from the BPP.
The AGF reportedly expressed concern that the funds “may have been diverted” and recommended that the money be recovered and remitted to the treasury.
SERAP further cited allegations that INEC paid over ₦4.5 billion to six contractors for the supply of ballot papers and result sheets without documentary evidence of supply or proof of compliance with due procurement processes, including advertisement, bid evaluation, and approvals.
Other alleged financial infractions highlighted in the AGF’s report include the payment of over ₦331 million to contractors under questionable circumstances, failure to deduct and remit over ₦2.1 billion in stamp duties, non-retirement of over ₦630 million in cash advances to INEC officials, and the award of contracts worth more than ₦41 billion for printing election materials without due process.
The report also reportedly queried the award of a contract for the supply of four Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles to INEC for over ₦297 million, noting that market surveys showed the vehicles did not cost more than ₦50 million each at the time. INEC allegedly paid about ₦74 million per vehicle.
SERAP argued that INEC must operate transparently, free from corruption, to guarantee free, fair, and credible elections, and to uphold Nigerians’ constitutional right to participate in the electoral process.
The Organisation further stated that the electoral body cannot effectively discharge its constitutional, statutory responsibilities if it fails to uphold accountability, transparency, and the rule of law.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
