The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urgently called upon Professor Joash Amupitan, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to launch a comprehensive and impartial investigation into allegations that governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have diverted N800 billion from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds. These funds are allegedly being used for political and campaign purposes, specifically to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections. The appeal was conveyed in a letter dated May 16, 2026, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare.

SERAP's demands to INEC include a thorough, transparent, and independent probe into these grave allegations. The organization specifically urged Amupitan to request full disclosure from the APC governors and the party itself regarding any contributions made to dedicated campaign funds. This disclosure should encompass the identities of donors and the lawful origin of all funds, with details to be provided to SERAP. Furthermore, SERAP pressed INEC to collaborate with relevant anticorruption and law enforcement agencies to enforce applicable sanctions for identified violations, which include prosecution, fines, and forfeiture of any unlawful contributions.

A critical component of SERAP's request is for INEC to promptly initiate a formal review and investigation into compliance with Section 91 of the Electoral Act by all political parties and candidates, particularly concerning the sources and scale of political or campaign financing within the current political cycle. The organization highlighted that these allegations raise serious concerns about political finance transparency, electoral fairness, democratic governance, electoral integrity, and the fundamental right of Nigerians to freely participate in their government. SERAP asserted that the abuse of state resources for electoral advantage fundamentally undermines democratic integrity and public trust.

According to SERAP, opaque political financing serves as a significant entry point for corruption and poses a substantial threat to democratic legitimacy. It emphasized that Nigerians are entitled to know who funds the candidates or political parties they support, along with the sources of such funding. The letter underscored that the alleged diversion or opaque use of public funds, especially on the scale reported, constitutes a grave risk to the integrity of the upcoming 2027 general elections. The combination of large-scale public fiscal flows and weak transparency mechanisms, SERAP argued, provides a reasonable basis for INEC to activate its constitutional and statutory mandates.

SERAP reiterated that fairness, transparency, and accountability in political and campaign finance are indispensable safeguards against corruption, state capture, and undue influence in democratic processes. The organization cited Section 91 of the Electoral Act 2022, which empowers INEC to set legal limits on donations to political parties or candidates, demand disclosure of contributions and their sources, and enforce sanctions against violations. Exceeding these donation limits carries severe penalties: political parties can face fines of up to N10,000,000 and forfeiture of the excess amount, while individuals are liable to a fine equal to five times the amount contributed in excess of the legal limit. Section 91(2) further clarifies that any individual, candidate, or political party exceeding these limits commits an offense liable to sanctions upon conviction.

Beyond the Electoral Act, SERAP also invoked constitutional provisions and international treaties. Section 14(2)(c) of the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the people's participation in their government, imposing a positive constitutional obligation to maintain electoral conditions free from undue influence. Section 15(5) mandates public institutions to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power, while Section 13 imposes on INEC the responsibility to conform to and apply Chapter 2 of the Constitution. Nigeria's ratification of international instruments such as Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both guaranteeing the right to free participation in government and elections reflecting the electorate's will, was also highlighted. Furthermore, legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption, specifically Articles 5, 7(3), and 9, oblige institutions like INEC to ensure accountability in public resource management and political finance transparency to prevent corruption in elections.

SERAP cautioned that the alleged diversion or deployment of public resources for political and campaign purposes is not merely financial impropriety; it directly distorts electoral competition. Such actions, it warned, undermine the principle of a level playing field and erode citizens' ability to freely choose their representatives. Any use of public funds for political advantage would constitute a grave violation of both national and international standards, posing a direct threat to electoral credibility.

The organization emphasized that INEC has a constitutional and statutory obligation to ensure that no individual or political party exceeds legally prescribed contribution limits, directly or indirectly, and to ensure full transparency regarding the origin and quantum of political funding. SERAP asserted that allegations of large-scale financial resources, potentially state-derived or publicly controlled, influencing political activity outside lawful channels fall squarely within INEC's preventive and investigative mandate under the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act. SERAP concluded with a stern warning: any failure by INEC to proactively enforce these provisions regarding alleged political finance distortion would further undermine public trust in electoral institutions and potentially compromise the right of Nigerians to participate in their own government.

SERAP has given INEC a seven-day ultimatum to act on its demands, threatening to take all appropriate legal actions to compel compliance in the public interest should it not receive a response within that timeframe. The organization's deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, signed the letter on May 17, 2026, from Lagos, Nigeria.