The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged “all 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promptly publish details of their assets and liabilities, those of their spouses and, where applicable, their unmarried children under 18, and disclose the legitimate sources of their significant assets ahead of the 2027 presidential election.”
SERAP also called on “all presidential candidates to publicly and unequivocally reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the elections, and to instruct their parties, campaign organisations, agents and supporters not to offer or distribute money, gifts or other material inducements in exchange for votes.”
The presidential candidates include President Bola Tinubu (APC), Atiku Abubakar (ADC), Peter Obi (NDC), Senator Sandy Onor (PDP), Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Donald Duke (PRP), Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick (NDP), Chukwu Anita Zugwai (YPP), Rufai Adekunle Omoaje (AA), and Adenuga Sunday (Boot Party).
Others are 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 an open letter to the candidates dated August 8, 2026 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged “the candidates to go beyond the bare legal minimum and voluntarily embrace higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity in seeking Nigeria’s highest elected office.”
SERAP said: “Candidates asking Nigerians to entrust them with enormous constitutional powers over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions should be willing, before asking for their votes, to demonstrate that their personal financial affairs can withstand reasonable public scrutiny.”
“Nigeria’s democracy belongs to its citizens. Votes must not be bought. Public office must not be treated as private property. Those seeking the highest public office must be willing to meet the highest standards of transparency, accountability and integrity,” SERAP said.
“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.”
“Voluntary pre-election disclosure would enable voters to assess potential conflicts of interest and significant sources of wealth, strengthen public confidence in the electoral process, and establish a baseline against which future changes in assets could be assessed if a candidate is elected.”
“The 2027 presidential election presents an opportunity for political leaders to show that public office is a public trust. Candidates who voluntarily disclose their assets and reject vote-buying can show that they are prepared to uphold the transparency and accountability they promise to deliver if elected.”
“The Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and international human rights standards protect free and informed electoral choice, making transparency essential to meaningful democratic participation and providing a strong basis for candidates seeking the highest public office to voluntarily disclose relevant financial information, particularly where corruption and vote-buying threaten electoral integrity.”
“An election in which citizens’ votes are purchased, coerced or otherwise financially induced cannot genuinely reflect the free political will of the Nigerian people.”
“Vote-buying is particularly harmful in circumstances of poverty and economic hardship because it exploits economic vulnerability and risks transforming a constitutional political right into a financial transaction,” the letter added.
SERAP therefore urged all 19 presidential candidates to urgently publish their assets and liabilities before the election, including relevant assets and liabilities of their spouses and unmarried children under 18;
Disclose the legitimate sources of significant assets, including business interests, investments, real property, substantial gifts and inheritance, while protecting legitimate personal security and privacy;
Commit to updating their public declarations if elected and explaining material increases in wealth;
Publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery, including conduct undertaken through campaign organisations, agents, supporters or political associates;
Instruct their campaign organisations and political associates not to distribute money, gifts, food, transportation benefits or other material inducements in exchange for votes;
Report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to the appropriate authorities; and
Sign and publish a public integrity pledge committing themselves, their parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free elections.
GIK/APA