morganable politics/elections
SERAP argued that the absence of publicly accessible information on political contribution limits could undermine electoral fairness and prevent voters from making informed decisions.
KaNo—
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking to compel the electoral body to disclose limits on political contributions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the suit was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the organisation asking the court to determine whether INEC had exercised its powers under Section 91 of the Electoral Act 2026 to prescribe limits on political donations.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2114/2026, was filed last week and is seeking multiple reliefs aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s political financing system.
According to SERAP, it is asking the court to compel INEC to disclose whether it has set limits on the amount of money or assets individuals can contribute to political parties or candidates, as well as the specific thresholds, if such limits exist.
The organisation also wants the court to order INEC to reveal measures taken to publish and communicate these limits to political parties, candidates, donors and the general public.
SERAP argued that the absence of publicly accessible information on political contribution limits could undermine electoral fairness and prevent voters from making informed decisions.
“Greater transparency in political financing is essential to ensuring that the 2027 elections are conducted on a level playing field and that citizens are able to make free and informed political choices,” the organisation said.
It further maintained that INEC’s constitutional responsibilities extend beyond merely receiving financial statements from political parties.
“The Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) requires the Commission to examine political-party finances, conduct necessary investigations and report to the National Assembly. Publishing these reports would enable Nigerians to know whether these constitutional and statutory responsibilities have been effectively discharged,” SERAP stated.
The suit, filed by SERAP’s legal team comprising Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Kehinde Oyewumi, Andrew Nwankwo and Valentina Adegoke, is also seeking disclosure of detailed financial records of political parties.
Specifically, the organisation is requesting access to political parties’ latest financial statements, audited accounts, sources of funds, assets, liabilities and election-expenditure returns covering the period from 2023 to 2025.
The lawyers argued that access to such information is critical for journalists, civil society organisations and voters to effectively scrutinise political financing.
“Voters, journalists and civil-society organisations cannot effectively scrutinise political financing if the applicable limits are not easily accessible or if there is no publicly known mechanism for monitoring compliance,” the lawyers said.
Beyond financial disclosures, SERAP is also asking the court to compel INEC to make public its systems and procedures for monitoring, investigating and enforcing compliance with political finance regulations.
The organisation is seeking details of enforcement actions taken against political parties or candidates found to have violated political-finance laws, including failure to comply with statutory reporting requirements.
It also wants INEC to disclose which political parties submitted post-2023 contribution reports, the dates of submission, and any sanctions imposed on defaulters.
SERAP anchored its arguments on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 91(1), which grants INEC the power to set limits on political contributions and demand information on the sources of such funds.
The organisation noted that Section 91(2) provides for sanctions where individuals, candidates or political parties exceed the prescribed limits.
“Where INEC has exercised its power under Section 91, Nigerians are entitled to know the applicable contribution limits and how the Commission intends to ensure compliance with them,” SERAP added.
On political-party finances, the organisation also cited Sections 225 and 226 of the Constitution, which mandate INEC to prepare and submit annual reports on the accounts and balance sheets of political parties to the National Assembly.
According to SERAP, these provisions also require the Commission to conduct investigations to ensure that political parties maintain proper financial records.
The organisation stressed that disclosing such reports would enhance public trust and promote accountability in the electoral process.
SERAP said the reliefs sought in the suit would enable citizens to scrutinise political financing ahead of the 2027 general elections, which it described as a critical stage in Nigeria’s democratic development.
No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the case.
Meanwhile, INEC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring electoral integrity as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), gave the assurance on Saturday while overseeing operations at the Commission’s National Situation Room in Abuja.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said the Commission had continued to refine its processes based on lessons from recent by-elections.
According to him, operational challenges identified before the conduct of legislative by-elections in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states were promptly addressed.
“Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution. Whatever administrative or field challenges arose before the day of the elections, the Commission was able to nip them in the bud effectively,” he said.
He added that INEC remained committed to improving its operational efficiency and strengthening public confidence in the electoral process.
The Commission conducted by-elections in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State, Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies in Bauchi State, and Udu State Constituency in Delta State.
Amupitan described the elections as crucial tests that would provide valuable insights for the 2027 general elections.
“These bye-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the Commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 general election,” he said.
He emphasised that no election should be considered routine, noting that each exercise serves as an opportunity to assess logistics, test technology and evaluate administrative readiness.
“We must resist the temptation to view any exercise as merely an ordinary bye-election. Every election is a critical component of our broader preparations,” he added.
The INEC Chairman, accompanied by National Commissioners and senior management staff, monitored the elections in real time as reports were received from the various states.
He also commended officials in the Situation Room, particularly the technical team, for ensuring seamless monitoring of the multi-state exercise.
