The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, to address allegations surrounding over ₦55.9bn reportedly spent on election materials for the 2019 polls.
SERAP said the request followed findings in the 2022 annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which was released on September 9, 2025.
The organisation issued its demands in a letter dated December 6, 2025, and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
It asked INEC to publish the list of contractors responsible for supplying smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets and other materials, while maintaining that transparency was necessary for public confidence.
According to SERAP, “INEC must operate without corruption if the commission is to uphold Nigerians’ right to participation in their own government.”
The organisation further stated that, “Allegations of corruption in the supply of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets and other election materials directly undermine Nigerians’ right to participate in elections that are free, fair, transparent, and credible.”
SERAP urged the electoral commission to forward all audit findings to anti-graft agencies to help “ensure the full recovery of proceeds of corruption.”
READ ALSO: SERAP Sues Akpabio, Abbas over Unaccounted ₦18.6bn NASC Project Funds
Quoting the Auditor-General, the group noted that INEC “irregularly paid over ₦5.3bn to a contractor for the supply of smart card readers for the 2019 general elections,” without supporting documents or proof of delivery.
The report also rejected INEC’s claim of “national security,” stating that such a defence was “alien to the Procurement Act.”
The audit added that six contractors received over ₦4.5bn for ballot papers and result sheets without any traceable evidence of supply, advertisement, bidding, evaluation or a Certificate of No Objection.
Other concerns included missing eligibility documents, unexplained payments of ₦331m, unretired advances totalling ₦630.6m, and over ₦2.1bn in undeducted stamp duties.
It also highlighted questionable contracts worth more than ₦41bn, including awards to firms not involved in printing, and criticised a procurement for four Toyota Land Cruisers valued at over ₦297m, arguing that “the price of Toyota Land Cruiser in 2019 was not above ₦50m.”
The Auditor-General warned that many of the queried funds “may have been diverted.”
SERAP said the revelations “amount to a grave violation of the public trust,” adding that INEC’s credibility would suffer if the concerns were ignored and those responsible not prosecuted.
The organisation gave the commission seven days to respond and said if no action was taken, it would pursue legal measures to compel compliance in the public interest.