The Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated a major legal action against Nigeria's electoral body. The organisation filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja over the weekend, challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) alleged failure to account for a staggering N55.9 billion.
Details of the Lawsuit and Auditor-General's Report
According to the court documents, the funds in question were specifically earmarked for critical materials for the 2019 General Elections. This money was supposed to cover the procurement of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets, and other essential voting materials. The basis for the lawsuit is the damning findings contained in the latest annual report from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which was published on September 9, 2025.
The suit, registered as FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026, seeks several key orders from the court. SERAP is asking for an order of mandamus to compel INEC to provide a full and public account for the missing or diverted N55.9 billion. Furthermore, the organisation demands that INEC be forced to disclose the identities of all contractors who were paid from this fund.
SERAP's Legal Arguments and Demands
In the suit, SERAP's legal team, comprising lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, presented a robust argument. They contend that the allegations point to a severe breach of public trust and violate both the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and established international anti-corruption standards.
The organisation argues that for INEC to credibly conduct free and fair elections and protect Nigerians' right to participate in democracy, it must operate without corruption. SERAP insists that the commission's constitutional duty is undermined if it fails to uphold principles of transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.
Implications for Future Elections and Governance
SERAP warns that the impartial administration of future elections is at risk if these allegations are not thoroughly addressed. The suit stresses the urgent need for INEC to embrace clean governance. It calls for the prosecution of any perpetrators and the full recovery of all proceeds from the alleged corruption.
The body describes the situation as an abuse of public office that demands immediate corrective action to restore faith in the electoral system. As of now, the Federal High Court has not scheduled a date for the hearing of this significant case.
