The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding full disclosure on whether the electoral body has exercised its statutory powers to set limits on political contributions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
​In a Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated Sunday, August 23, 2026, addressed to INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SERAP urged the commission to immediately publish any contribution limits prescribed under Section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2026, and make them widely accessible on public platforms.
​The demand was contained in an official statement released from SERAP’s national headquarters in Lagos, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
​SERAP’s FOI request demands that INEC provide; Prescribed Contribution Limits, clarifying on whether statutory limits have been set under Section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2026, alongside immediate public disclosure.
The Party’s Financial Statements; Publication of the latest statements of assets, liabilities, and expenditure submitted by political parties, including audited accounts and election expenditure returns for 2023 to 2025.
An Audit and Examination Reports; Public release of INEC’s Section 225 and Section 226 audit reports submitted to the National Assembly for the 2023–2025 period and a disclosure of political parties that submitted post-2023 election donation reports, including submission dates and details of sanction actions taken against default parties.
The FOI also include details on the systems, methodology, and personnel established to track real-time campaign spending, third-party financing, and digital/social media donations for the 2027 general elections.
​In the letter, Oluwadare stressed that opaque political financing remains a significant risk to the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy, noting that voters cannot effectively evaluate candidates or parties without clear visibility into campaign funding sources.
​”Greater transparency in political financing is essential to ensuring that the 2027 general elections are conducted on a level playing field,” the statement read. “The existence of statutory limits on political contributions is intended not merely to facilitate retrospective accounting after an election, but to prevent excessive financial influence while political competition is taking place.”
​SERAP warned that failure by INEC to comply with the request within seven days of receipt will compel the advocacy organization to launch legal proceedings at the Federal High Court to seek an order of mandamus in the public interest.
