The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has challenged the 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish details of their assets and liabilities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
SERAP also urged the candidates to disclose the assets and liabilities of their spouses and, where applicable, unmarried children under 18, as well as the legitimate sources of their significant wealth.
In an open letter dated August 8, 2026 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation called on all the presidential candidates to publicly and unequivocally reject 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), Peter Obi of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator 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), and Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Others are 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), and Yusuf Kabiru (APP).
SERAP said candidates seeking the presidency should go beyond the minimum requirements of the law by voluntarily embracing higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity.
The organisation argued that politicians asking Nigerians to entrust them with extensive powers over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions should be prepared to subject their personal financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny before seeking their votes.
“Nigerians should not be asked to choose between candidates on the basis of who can spend the most money. They should be able to choose on the basis of policies, competence, integrity, character and their vision for Nigeria,” SERAP said.
According to the organisation, voluntary pre-election asset disclosure would enable voters to identify potential conflicts of interest and significant sources of wealth, while providing a baseline for assessing changes in the assets of any candidate who eventually wins the election.
SERAP further maintained that the 2027 election offers political leaders an opportunity to demonstrate that public office is a public trust.
It noted that although the Nigerian Constitution does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election, constitutional principles of transparency, accountability and integrity provide a strong basis for voluntary disclosure.
The organisation also cited Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, which requires public officers to declare their properties, assets and liabilities, including those of unmarried children under 18.
It further referenced Section 140(1) of the Constitution, which requires a person elected President to make the prescribed declaration before assuming the functions of the office.
On vote-buying, SERAP expressed concern over the continued use of money, gifts and other inducements to influence voters, warning that such practices undermine the sovereignty of the Nigerian people.
It cited Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which provides that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, as well as Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which criminalises bribery and related conduct intended to procure the return of a person to elective office or the vote of an elector.
SERAP warned that elections in which voters are purchased, coerced or financially induced cannot genuinely reflect the free political will of Nigerians.
It added that vote-buying is particularly damaging in situations of poverty and economic hardship because it exploits the vulnerability of citizens and risks turning a constitutional political right into a financial transaction.
The organisation therefore urged the presidential candidates to publish their assets and liabilities before the election; disclose the legitimate sources of significant assets, including business interests, investments, real property, substantial gifts and inheritance; and commit to updating their declarations if elected.
SERAP also asked the candidates to publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery, instruct their campaign organisations and political associates not to distribute money, gifts, food, transportation benefits or other material inducements in exchange for votes.
The candidates were further urged to report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to relevant authorities and sign and publish a public integrity pledge committing themselves, their parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free elections.
SERAP stressed that the choice before Nigerians in 2027 should be based on ideas, policies, competence and integrity, rather than on which candidate can spend the most money or conceal the most wealth.
