SERAP Urges Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, 16 Others to Publish Assets Before 2027 Election
By Nafiu Muhammad Lema
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and 16 other presidential candidates to publicly disclose their assets and liabilities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The organisation also urged the candidates to disclose the legitimate sources of their significant assets, including those of their spouses and, where applicable, unmarried children below the age of 18.
SERAP made the demand in an open letter dated August 8, 2026, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The organisation further called on all the presidential candidates to publicly commit to rejecting vote-buying and other forms of electoral inducement before and during the election.
According to SERAP, candidates seeking the country’s highest elected office should voluntarily adopt higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity rather than limiting themselves to the minimum requirements of the law.
It said Nigerians deserved to know whether those seeking their votes were prepared to subject their financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny, given the enormous powers the presidency exercises over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions.
“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,” the organisation said.
SERAP noted that while the Nigerian Constitution does not specifically compel presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election, it argued that the Constitution promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in public office.
It pointed to provisions requiring elected public officers, including the President, to declare their assets and liabilities, as well as Section 140(1), which requires a President-elect to make the prescribed declaration before assuming office.
The organisation also raised concerns over the continued use of money, gifts and other inducements to influence voters, describing vote-buying as a threat to the democratic process.
SERAP cited the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people and referred to Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which it said criminalises bribery and other conduct aimed at influencing voters or securing electoral victory through improper inducements.
The 19 presidential candidates identified by SERAP include Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and candidates of other political parties.
SERAP said voluntary asset disclosure and a clear rejection of vote-buying would help demonstrate that the candidates were prepared to uphold the transparency and accountability they promised Nigerians if elected.
The organisation urged the candidates to use the 2027 election as an opportunity to demonstrate that public office is a public trust and that Nigeria’s democratic process should be driven by the will of citizens rather than financial inducements.
