The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged the 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission to publicly declare their assets and liabilities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
SERAP also asked the candidates to disclose the assets and liabilities of their spouses and, where applicable, their unmarried children under the age of 18.
The organisation made the demand in an open letter dated August 8, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP said the candidates should also disclose the legitimate sources of their significant assets, including business interests, investments, real property, substantial gifts and inheritance, while protecting information that could affect their personal security and privacy.
The organisation further called on all the candidates to publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election.
It urged them to direct their political parties, campaign organisations, agents, supporters and associates not to offer or distribute money, gifts, food, transport benefits or other material inducements in exchange for votes.
The candidates listed by SERAP include President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress; former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, of the New Democratic Congress; Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party; and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.
Others are Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party; Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick of the National Democratic Party; Chukwu Anita Zugwai of the Young Progressives Party; Rufai Adekunle Omoaje of the Action Alliance; and Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party.
The remaining candidates are Memeh Samuel of the Democratic Leadership Alliance; Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party; Okereke Sunday Chibuzor of the Labour Party; Okereke Iken Esther of the National Rescue Movement; Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party; Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed of the New Nigeria Peoples Party; Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer of the Social Democratic Party; Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement; and Yusuf Kabiru of the Action Peoples Party.
SERAP said candidates seeking the presidency should be prepared to subject their financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny because the office gives the occupant extensive powers over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions.
The organisation said voluntary disclosure before the election would help voters identify possible conflicts of interest and understand the sources of the wealth of those seeking to govern the country.
It added that such disclosure would also provide a basis for comparing a candidate’s wealth before taking office with any changes in assets after election.
According to SERAP, Nigerians should be allowed to choose their leaders based on policies, competence, integrity, character and their vision for the country, rather than on the ability of a candidate to spend large sums of money during an election.
“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,” the organisation said.
SERAP noted that the Nigerian Constitution does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election.
However, it argued that the Constitution contains principles of transparency, accountability and integrity in public office, which should encourage candidates seeking the highest elected office to voluntarily make relevant financial information available to voters.
The organisation also referred to the existing constitutional requirement for elected public officers to declare their assets and liabilities.
It cited Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, which requires public officers to submit declarations of their properties, assets and liabilities, including those of unmarried children below 18 years.
SERAP also referred to Section 140(1) of the Constitution, which requires a person elected President to make the prescribed declaration before assuming the functions of office.
The group said voters have a legitimate interest in knowing the financial background of people seeking to control public resources.
It also linked the demand to international standards, citing Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects citizens’ rights to participate in public affairs and vote and be elected in genuine periodic elections.
SERAP argued that voters cannot make fully informed choices if they are denied relevant information about candidates seeking to govern them.
The organisation also expressed concern about the continued use of money and other incentives to influence voters during Nigerian elections.
It said vote-buying undermines the principle that political power belongs to the people and turns the exercise of citizens’ political rights into a financial transaction.
SERAP cited Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which provides that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom government derives its powers and authority.
It also cited Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which criminalises bribery and related conduct intended to influence the return of a person to elective office or secure the vote of an elector.
The organisation said vote-buying becomes particularly dangerous during periods of economic hardship because it takes advantage of the financial difficulties faced by many citizens.
According to SERAP, voters who are struggling to meet their basic needs may be more vulnerable to offers of cash, food and other items during elections.
It warned that an election in which votes are purchased or voters are financially induced cannot truly reflect the political will of the people.
SERAP therefore asked the 19 candidates to go beyond the minimum legal requirements by signing and publishing a public integrity pledge.
The pledge, it said, should commit the candidates, their political parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free elections.
The organisation also urged candidates to report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to the appropriate authorities.
It further asked those who win the election to update their public declarations and explain any significant increase in their wealth while in office.
SERAP said the 2027 election provides an opportunity for political leaders to demonstrate that public office is a public trust.
It urged the candidates to lead by example by making their financial records available and clearly rejecting all forms of electoral bribery.
The organisation said Nigerians should be able to assess the people seeking the presidency on the strength of their ideas, policies, competence and integrity.
“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,” SERAP said.