The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the 19 presidential candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 election to publicly disclose their assets and liabilities and reject vote-buying.
SERAP, in an open letter dated August 8, 2026, urged the candidates to publish details of their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses and, where applicable, unmarried children under 18.
The organisation also asked the candidates to disclose the legitimate sources of their significant wealth and publicly commit to rejecting electoral bribery before and during the election.
The candidates include President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).
Others are Donald Duke (PRP), Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick (NDP), Chukwu Anita Zugwai (YPP), Rufai Adekunle Omoaje (AA), Adenuga Sunday (Boot Party), Memeh Samuel (DLA), Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu (ZLP), Okereke Sunday Chibuzor (LP), Okereke Iken Esther (NRM), Abbas-Bin Aliyu (ADP), Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed (NNPP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer (SDP), Seyi Makinde (APM), and Yusuf Kabiru (APP).
In the letter signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged the candidates to voluntarily go beyond the minimum legal requirements by embracing higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity.
SERAP argued that politicians seeking the presidency should be prepared to subject their financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny before asking Nigerians to entrust them with control over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions.
“Nigeria’s democracy belongs to its citizens. Votes must not be bought. Public office must not be treated as private property,” the organisation said.
It added that Nigerians should be able to assess presidential candidates based on their policies, competence, integrity, character and vision rather than their financial capacity to influence voters.
According to SERAP, voluntary pre-election asset disclosure would help voters identify potential conflicts of interest and significant sources of wealth while providing a baseline for monitoring changes in a candidate’s assets if elected.
The organisation also said the 2027 presidential election offers candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to public trust by disclosing their wealth and rejecting vote-buying.
SERAP noted that while the 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election, it contains provisions promoting transparency, accountability and integrity in public office.
It cited Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule, which requires public officers to declare their properties, assets and liabilities, including those of unmarried children under 18.
It also referenced Section 140(1), which requires a person elected President to make the prescribed declaration before assuming office.
SERAP further invoked Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects citizens’ rights to participate in public affairs and vote in genuine periodic elections.
On vote-buying, the organisation expressed concern over the continued use of money, gifts and other inducements to influence voters, warning that such practices undermine the sovereignty of the people.
It cited Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which states that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, and Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which criminalises bribery and related conduct intended to influence electoral outcomes.
“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 argued that vote-buying is especially damaging amid economic hardship because it exploits voters’ vulnerability and risks turning a constitutional political right into a financial transaction.
SERAP therefore urged the 19 candidates to publish their assets and liabilities before the election, disclose the legitimate sources of significant wealth, and commit to updating their declarations if elected.
The organisation also asked them to publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery; direct their campaign organisations, agents and associates not to offer money, food, transportation benefits or other inducements for votes; and report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to relevant authorities.
SERAP further called on all candidates to sign and publish a public integrity pledge committing themselves, their parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free elections.
“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,” the organisation said.
(The Whistler)