The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged all 19 presidential candidates in the 2027 election to publicly disclose their assets and liabilities before seeking Nigerians’ votes.
The organisation also called on the candidates to reject vote-buying and electoral bribery, while directing their campaign teams and supporters to refrain from offering money or material incentives to voters. The demands were contained in an open letter dated August 8, 2026, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
Among those covered by the call are President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, ADC; and Peter Obi of the National Democratic Congress, NDC. Others are 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; and Chukwu Anita Zugwai of the Young Progressives Party, YPP.
The list also includes Rufai Adekunle Omoaje of the Action Alliance, AA; Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party; Memeh Samuel of the Democratic Labour Alliance, DLA; Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP; and 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 Allied Peoples Party, APP, were also named. SERAP said candidates seeking control of public finances, natural resources, security institutions and major government appointments should be prepared to subject their financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny.
The organisation said presidential asset disclosure would allow voters to examine potential conflicts of interest and understand significant sources of wealth before making their choices. It urged candidates to publish details of their assets and liabilities, including relevant financial information concerning their spouses and unmarried children below 18.
SERAP, however, said legitimate privacy and personal security concerns should be protected when making such disclosures. The organisation also asked candidates to explain the legitimate sources of significant assets, including business interests, investments, properties, substantial gifts and inheritances.
It argued that voluntary disclosure would create a baseline against which future changes in the wealth of elected officials could be assessed. According to SERAP, the 2027 election provides an opportunity for politicians to demonstrate that public office remains a public trust.
The group acknowledged that the Nigerian Constitution does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election. However, it argued that constitutional principles of transparency, accountability and integrity provide a strong basis for voluntary disclosure.
SERAP also cited the Fifth Schedule of 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), which requires a President-elect to make the prescribed declaration before assuming office.
Beyond presidential asset disclosure, SERAP asked all candidates to publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election.
The organisation urged them to instruct their political parties, campaign organisations, agents and supporters not to distribute cash, gifts, food, transportation benefits or other incentives in exchange for votes. SERAP said candidates should also report credible cases of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to the relevant authorities.
It warned that financial inducements could undermine voters’ ability to make free political choices, particularly amid widespread economic hardship. The organisation cited Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which provides that sovereignty belongs to the Nigerian people, and Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which criminalises bribery and related electoral conduct.
SERAP maintained that Nigerians should choose their next president based on policies, competence, integrity, character and vision, rather than the candidate with the greatest financial resources. It therefore urged the 19 presidential candidates to sign and publish a public integrity pledge committing themselves, their parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent and corruption-free elections.
