*Asks Court to compel INEC to investigate alleged diversion of N800bn FAAC funds by APC govs
*Alleges that funds were allocated to finance political and campaign activities for APC
*That APC Govs allegedly made monthly deductions into special fund to support Tinubu’s re-election bid
*Federal High Court has not fixed date for hearing of the suit
By Bimbo Aderenle
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging the court to compel the electoral body to investigate allegations that governors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) diverted approximately ₦800 billion from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations to finance political and campaign activities.
According to a statement issued by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, reports claim that APC governors allegedly made monthly deductions from their FAAC allocations into a special fund reportedly created to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1426/2026, was filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja. SERAP is asking the court to direct INEC to investigate the allegations and determine whether any provisions of the Electoral Act or other applicable laws have been violated.
The organisation is also seeking an order compelling INEC to obtain full disclosure from both the APC and the affected governors regarding contributions made to any campaign-related fund. This includes identifying the donors involved and revealing the sources of the funds.
Beyond the specific allegations, SERAP is requesting that the court direct INEC to conduct a wider review of compliance with Section 91 of the Electoral Act, particularly in relation to campaign financing, political donations, and the funding sources of political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawsuit, filed by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Kehinde Oyewumi on behalf of SERAP, argues that the allegations raise significant concerns over transparency, accountability and the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
According to the group, a lack of transparency in political financing encourages corruption and weakens public confidence in democratic institutions.
“These allegations raise serious concerns about political finance transparency, electoral fairness, and the constitutional right of Nigerians to participate freely in their own government,” SERAP stated.
The organisation maintained that citizens have a right to know who finances political parties and candidates, stressing that transparency in campaign funding are crucial to preventing corruption, undue influence, and the capture of state institutions by vested interests.
SERAP further argued that if the alleged diversion of public funds for political purposes is established, it would amount to a misuse of state resources capable of undermining the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
“The allegations of diversion or opaque use of public funds pose a grave risk to the integrity of the 2027 general elections,” the suit stated.
The group also contended that the scale of the alleged financial transactions, coupled with weak disclosure and oversight mechanisms, justifies the exercise of INEC’s constitutional and statutory powers to investigate the matter.
Citing Section 91 of the Electoral Act, SERAP noted that INEC has the authority to regulate political donations, require disclosure of campaign funding sources, and impose sanctions on individuals or political parties that exceed the legal contribution limits.
The organisation added that the law provides for penalties, including fines and the forfeiture of excess contributions, where violations of campaign finance regulations are established.
SERAP also relied on provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, arguing that these legal instruments require public institutions to uphold transparency, accountability, and fairness in electoral processes.
According to the organisation, the use of public funds for partisan political activities, if confirmed, would amount to financial misconduct, distort electoral competition, and deny Nigerians a level playing field in choosing their leaders.
SERAP further accused INEC of failing to proactively enforce constitutional and electoral safeguards against political finance abuses, warning that continued inaction could weaken public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.
“No individual or political party should be allowed to exceed legally prescribed contribution limits, whether directly or indirectly, and there must be full transparency regarding the origin and scale of political funding,” the organisation argued.
As of the time of filing this report, the Federal High Court has not fixed a date for the hearing of the suit.
