SERAP Dares Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, 16 Others To Declare Assets, Reject Vote-Buying Before 2027 Polls

• SERAP challenges all 19 presidential candidates to publicly declare their assets and liabilities before the 2027 presidential election, saying Nigerians deserve to know the financial standing of those seeking the nation’s highest office.

• The rights group urged candidates to disclose the legitimate sources of their wealth, including business interests, investments, real estate, gifts and inheritance, to boost transparency and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.

• Organisation calls on presidential hopefuls to publicly reject vote-buying and direct their political parties, campaign organisations, agents and supporters to stop offering money, gifts, food or other inducements to voters.

• SERAP asks all candidates to sign a public integrity pledge, report credible cases of electoral bribery involving their campaigns and commit to peaceful, transparent and corruption-free elections.

August 09, () — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has mounted fresh pressure on all 19 presidential candidates contesting the 2027 general election, challenging them to publicly declare their assets and liabilities, disclose the legitimate sources of their wealth and make an unequivocal commitment against vote-buying ahead of the polls.

In a call aimed at raising ethical standards in Nigeria’s electoral process, the anti-corruption organisation said those seeking the country’s highest office must go beyond the minimum constitutional requirements by voluntarily embracing transparency and accountability before asking Nigerians for their votes.

Among those challenged 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 Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Chukwu Anita Zugwai of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Rufai Adekunle Omoaje of the Action Alliance (AA), Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party, Memeh Samuel of the Democratic Liberation 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 Action Democratic Party (ADP), Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Yusuf Kabiru of the Action Peoples Party (APP).

‘Go Beyond The Law, Embrace Transparency’

In an open letter dated August 8, 2026, signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged the candidates to voluntarily adopt higher standards of openness by publishing details of their assets and liabilities, including those of their spouses and unmarried children under the age of 18.

It also asked the candidates to disclose the legitimate sources of their significant assets, including business interests, investments, real property, substantial gifts and inheritance, while balancing legitimate privacy and security concerns.

According to SERAP, Nigerians deserve to know whether those seeking enormous constitutional powers over public finances, natural resources, security institutions and key appointments have financial records capable of withstanding public scrutiny.

The organisation argued that voluntary pre-election asset disclosure would enable voters to assess possible conflicts of interest, understand the sources of candidates’ wealth and establish a benchmark against which future changes in their assets could be measured if elected into office.

“Candidates asking Nigerians to entrust them with enormous constitutional powers should be willing, before asking for their votes, to demonstrate that their personal financial affairs can withstand reasonable public scrutiny”, the letter read.

SERAP further argued that democracy belongs to the people and that public office must never be treated as private property.

It maintained that Nigerians should choose their next president based on ideas, competence, integrity, character and vision rather than the financial strength of candidates or their ability to deploy money during election campaigns.

The organisation also raised concerns over the persistent use of money, gifts and other material inducements to influence voters, describing vote-buying as one of the greatest threats to Nigeria’s democratic process.

It urged all presidential candidates to publicly and unequivocally reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the elections, and directed their political parties, campaign organisations, agents, supporters, and political associates not to engage in any form of voter inducement.

SERAP also called on the candidates to report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to the appropriate authorities.

According to the organisation, vote-buying directly undermines the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the Nigerian people and weakens public confidence in democratic institutions.

It warned that the practice becomes even more dangerous during periods of widespread poverty and economic hardship because it exploits vulnerable citizens and transforms voting from a constitutional right into a commercial 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.

Constitutional And Legal Basis

Although acknowledging that the 1999 Constitution does not expressly compel presidential candidates to publish their assets before elections, SERAP argued that the Constitution, read as a whole, promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in public office.

The organisation pointed to Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, which requires public officers to declare their assets and liabilities, including those of unmarried children under 18, while Section 140(1) mandates a President-elect to make the prescribed declaration before assuming office.

It also relied on Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, arguing that citizens cannot meaningfully exercise their democratic rights where they lack access to relevant information about those seeking public office.

SERAP further cited Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which criminalises bribery and related conduct intended to procure votes or influence electoral outcomes.

Seven-Point Integrity Agenda

To reinforce electoral credibility, SERAP asked all presidential candidates to publish their assets and liabilities before the election, disclose the legitimate sources of their significant wealth, update their declarations if elected and explain any substantial increase in assets while in office.

The organisation also urged them to publicly reject vote-buying, direct campaign officials and supporters not to distribute money, food, transport benefits or gifts in exchange for votes, report credible allegations of electoral bribery involving their campaigns and sign a public integrity pledge committing themselves and their political parties to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free elections.

SERAP maintained that the 2027 presidential election offers an opportunity for Nigeria’s political leaders to redefine public service by demonstrating that power is a public trust rather than a pathway to personal enrichment.

According to the organisation, candidates who voluntarily disclose their assets and reject vote-buying before the polls would set a new benchmark for transparency, accountability and democratic integrity, while helping Nigerians make informed choices based on credibility, competence and vision instead of financial influence.