The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its alleged failure to account for N55.9 billion budgeted for the 2019 general elections. The lawsuit, which centers on funds meant for the procurement of smart card readers, ballot papers, and other sensitive election materials, comes following revelations in the 2022 annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation. As SERAP sues INEC N55.9bn, the organization is seeking an order of mandamus to compel the electoral body to account for the missing or diverted public funds.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026 and filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is requesting the court to direct INEC to disclose the identities of the contractors who received the payments. The group specifically wants the names of the directors and shareholders of the companies that were paid N55.9 billion for supplies that allegedly lack proper documentation. The organization argues that the failure to account for these funds constitutes a grave violation of public trust and undermines the integrity of the country’s electoral process.
The Auditor-General’s report, published on September 9, 2025, raised serious queries regarding the expenditure. It noted that INEC “irregularly paid” over N5.3 billion to a contractor for smart card readers without prior approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) or the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The audit further revealed that payments were made without evidence of supply. When queried, INEC reportedly claimed the procurement fell under national security exemptions, a defense the Auditor-General rejected as “alien to the Procurement Act.”
Further allegations cited in the lawsuit include the payment of over N4.5 billion to six contractors for ballot papers and result sheets without proof of delivery or adherence to due process. The report also flagged the payment of N74 million each for Toyota Land Cruisers, which market surveys indicated should have cost no more than N50 million. As SERAP sues INEC N55.9bn, the group maintains that the commission cannot effectively fulfill its constitutional mandate if it fails to uphold transparency and accountability in its financial dealings. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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