The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has challenged the 19 presidential candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 election to publicly declare their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses and, where applicable, unmarried children under 18.
The organisation also demanded that the candidates disclose the legitimate sources of their significant assets and publicly commit to rejecting vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election.
Among those named by SERAP are President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Anambra State governor Peter Obi of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Accord Party (APM).
The other candidates are Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Elizabeth Frederick of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Chukwu Anita Zugwai of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Rufai Omoaje of the Action Alliance (AA), and Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party.
Also listed are Memeh Samuel of the Democratic Labour Alliance (DLA), Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Okereke Sunday Chibuzor of the Labour Party (LP), Okereke Iken Esther of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Allied Democratic Party (ADP), Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Yusuf Kabiru of the Allied Peoples Party (APP).
SERAP, in a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and released on Sunday, urged the candidates to go beyond the legal minimum and voluntarily embrace what it described as higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity in their bids for Nigeria’s highest elected office.
According to SERAP, candidates seeking the presidency and asking Nigerians to entrust them with extensive powers over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions should be prepared to demonstrate that their personal financial affairs can withstand reasonable public scrutiny.
“Nigeria’s democracy belongs to its citizens. Votes must not be bought. Public office must not be treated as private property. Those seeking the highest public office must be willing to meet the highest standards of transparency, accountability and integrity,” SERAP said.
The organisation argued that Nigerians should be able to choose their next president based on policies, competence, character, integrity and vision rather than on the candidate capable of spending the most money.
It said voluntary pre-election asset disclosure would enable voters to identify potential conflicts of interest and scrutinise significant sources of wealth, while also establishing a baseline against which changes in a candidate’s wealth could be assessed if elected.
SERAP said the 2027 presidential election offered political leaders an opportunity to demonstrate that public office remained a public trust.
“Candidates who voluntarily disclose their assets and reject vote-buying can show that they are prepared to uphold the transparency and accountability they promise to deliver if elected,” the organisation said.
On the legal basis for its demand, SERAP acknowledged that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election.
However, it argued that the Constitution, read as a whole, embodies principles of transparency, accountability, integrity in public office and meaningful participation in government.
SERAP noted that the Constitution already requires elected public officers, including the President, to declare their assets and liabilities.
It cited Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule, which requires public officers to submit declarations of their properties, assets and liabilities, including those of unmarried children under 18.
The organisation also cited Section 140(1), which requires a person elected President to make the prescribed declaration before assuming the functions of office.
SERAP further invoked Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, arguing that citizens’ rights to participate in public affairs and vote in genuine elections could not be meaningfully exercised where voters lacked relevant information needed to scrutinise those seeking to govern them.
The organisation also raised concerns over the continued use of money, gifts and other inducements to influence voters.
According to SERAP, vote-buying undermines the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people and can prevent elections from reflecting the genuine political will of Nigerians.
It cited Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which provides that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom government derives its powers and authority.
SERAP also referred to Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which it said criminalises bribery and related conduct intended to procure the return of a person to elective office or the vote of an elector.
The organisation warned that vote-buying was particularly damaging in conditions of economic hardship because it exploits the vulnerability of citizens and risks turning a constitutional political right into a financial transaction.
“An election in which citizens’ votes are purchased, coerced or otherwise financially induced cannot genuinely reflect the free political will of the Nigerian people,” SERAP said.
The organisation therefore urged all 19 presidential candidates to publish their assets and liabilities before the election, including relevant assets and liabilities of their spouses and unmarried children under 18.
It also asked them to disclose the legitimate sources of significant assets, including business interests, investments, real property, substantial gifts and inheritance, while protecting legitimate personal security and privacy.
SERAP further urged the candidates to commit to updating their public declarations if elected and explaining material increases in their wealth.
The candidates were also asked to publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery, including any such conduct carried out through campaign organisations, agents, supporters or political associates.
They were urged to instruct their campaign organisations and political associates not to distribute money, gifts, food, transportation benefits or other material inducements in exchange for votes.
SERAP also called on the candidates to report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to the appropriate authorities.
In addition, the organisation asked all the candidates to sign and publish a public integrity pledge committing themselves, their parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free elections.
SERAP said the choice facing Nigerians in 2027 should ultimately be based on ideas, policies, competence and integrity.
“The choice before Nigerians in 2027 should be a choice based on ideas, policies, competence and integrity—not on who can spend the most money or conceal the most wealth,” it said.