Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has launched a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Abuja regarding the non-conduct of investigations regarding the purported misappropriation of ₦800 billion in government resources by APC governors for political campaigns.
This suit comes on the heels of unverified reports that the governors of the ruling party have been monthly withholding from their respective allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). These funds have been directed towards a special campaign fund that will be used to finance the election campaign of President Tinubu.
In this case numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1426/2026, SERAP, through its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi, has asked for an order of mandamus to compel INEC to investigate the allegations of misappropriation and ask for a full declaration of accounts by the governors and APC members.
In this regard, the plaintiffs seek the names of the financial donors and proof that such funding was from legal sources.
Also, SERAP seeks a court order requiring INEC to initiate a regulatory examination within all political groups on their adherence to campaign funding limits as required by law.
According to the civil society organisation, the lack of transparency on political financing forms one of the major sources of corruption within institutions and undermines the process of conducting free and fair elections.
According to the plaintiffs, the use of the state’s resources for party interests will make the playing ground uneven and will reduce trust in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
It is important to note that according to Section 91 of the Electoral Act, INEC has a statutory duty to regulate political donation limits, with violators facing huge fines and forfeiture of extra donations.
SERAP also argues that permitting the uncontrolled flow of public finance violates the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and international mechanisms of fighting corruption, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations Convention against Corruption. SERAP notes that using public resources as a bargaining tool during elections undermines the very essence of democracy.
No particular date has been set by the Federal High Court for the trial of this lawsuit.
