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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The suit seeks to compel INEC to account for the alleged missing or diverted N55.9 billion budgeted for procuring election materials during the 2019 general elections.
In the lawsuit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2026/26, SERAP requests an order of mandamus to direct INEC to disclose detailed information on the expenditure of the funds. This includes the names of all contractors who received payments from the N55.9 billion,
The specific amounts paid to each, and evidence of how the money was utilized for election materials such as ballot papers, result sheets, and other essential items. Additionally, SERAP demands transparency on any investigations into the alleged mismanagement and the outcomes of such probes.
The action follows a Freedom of Information request sent by SERAP to INEC in December 2025, which went unanswered despite a seven day ultimatum.2012f3 SERAP argues that the failure to account for these public funds violates Nigerians' rights to accountability, transparency, and good governance, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and international anti-corruption standards.
SERAP's Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, stated, "This lawsuit is crucial to upholding the integrity of our electoral process. The missing funds meant for 2019 elections represent a betrayal of public trust, and INEC must explain where the money went to prevent future abuses."
SERAP emphasizes that transparency in election funding is vital for credible democracy and calls on the court to grant the reliefs sought to promote accountability in public institutions.