ABUJA – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to urgently disclose whether it has prescribed limits on political contributions under Section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
SERAP, in a statement on Sunday, also called on the Chairman of INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, to publish the applicable limits and widely communicate them to political parties, candidates, donors and the Nigerian public.
The organisation further urged the Commission to disclose the systems, personnel and procedures it has put in place to monitor, investigate and enforce compliance with political contribution and campaign expenditure limits during the ongoing 2027 electoral process.
SERAP said INEC should also make public its methodology for monitoring political financing, including arrangements for identifying and addressing cash and in-kind contributions, digital and social-media financing, third-party expenditure, and donations through intermediaries.
It argued that greater transparency in political financing is essential to ensuring that the 2027 elections are conducted on a level playing field and that citizens are able to make free and informed political choices.
The statement noted that INEC’s constitutional responsibility is not limited to receiving financial statements from political parties. It said the Constitution requires the Commission to examine party finances, conduct necessary investigations and report to the National Assembly.
SERAP added that publishing such reports would enable Nigerians to know whether these constitutional and statutory responsibilities have been effectively discharged.
The organisation warned that voters, journalists and civil society organisations cannot effectively scrutinise political financing if applicable limits are not easily accessible or if there is no publicly known mechanism for monitoring compliance.
SERAP further expressed concern that the increasing monetisation of Nigeria’s elections, alongside the potential misuse of state institutions, poses serious threats to democratic integrity and electoral competition.
2027: SERAP Urges INEC To Disclose Limits, Monitoring Mechanism For Political Contributions
