The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday, January 9, 2026, follows a bombshell report by the Auditor-General of the Federation on September 9, 2025, which alleged that ₦55.9 billion intended for the 2019 general elections has either been diverted or remains completely unaccounted for.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026, details a series of irregular payments and procurement violations that SERAP argues undermine the very foundation of Nigerian democracy.
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The report highlighted several financial infractions, including a ₦41.3 billion ballot contract awarded for the printing of ballot papers and result sheets without due process or the required Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) “No Objection” certificates.
It also cited the payment of ₦5.3 billion to a contractor for smart card readers without prior approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) or any documentary evidence that the items were supplied.
Additionally, INEC reportedly spent ₦297 million on four SUVs, paying ₦74 million each for Toyota Land Cruisers that had an estimated market value of ₦50 million in 2019.
The report further uncovered contradictory documentation, revealing that ₦331 million was paid for generating sets despite receipts being issued 12 months before the contracts were signed.
Beyond the recovery of funds, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus to compel INEC to release the names of every contractor involved in the ₦55.9 billion spend, including the identities of their directors and shareholders.
“INEC cannot ensure impartial administration of future elections if these allegations are not satisfactorily addressed, perpetrators are not prosecuted, and the proceeds of corruption are not fully recovered,” SERAP argued in its court filings.
The lawsuit, filed by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, contends that such massive financial irregularities constitute a “grave violation of public trust” and the 1999 Constitution.
During the audit process, INEC reportedly justified some infractions by claiming the procurement of smart card readers fell under “national security” exemptions.
The commission also argued that fast-tracking payments was necessary to “avoid a deep constitutional crisis” in 2019.
However, the Auditor-General dismissed these excuses as unsatisfactory and “alien to the Procurement Act,” explicitly recommending that the missing billions be recovered and remitted to the national treasury.
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As Nigeria moves toward further electoral cycles, SERAP insists that transparency regarding the 2019 spending is non-negotiable.
The group argues that when “Civil Engineering” or “Oil and Gas” companies are awarded contracts to print sensitive election result sheets, the integrity of the entire vote is compromised.
