Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has called on the 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission to publicly declare their assets and liabilities and reject vote-buying ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
SERAP also urged the candidates to disclose the assets and liabilities of their spouses and, where applicable, unmarried children below 18 years, as well as the legitimate sources of their significant wealth.
The organisation made the demands in an open letter dated August 8, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP urged the candidates to go beyond the minimum requirements of the law by voluntarily embracing higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity as they seek Nigeria’s highest elected office.
Among those listed by the organisation were President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress; Peter Obi of the National Democratic Congress; Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party; Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress; former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party; and Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick of the National Democratic Party.
Others were Chukwu Anita Zugwai of the Young Progressive Party; Rufai Adekunle Omoaje of the Action Alliance; Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party; Memeh Samuel of the Democratic Leadership Alliance; Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party; and Okereke Sunday Chibuzor of the Labour Party.
On the list, too, were 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 Accord Movement; and Yusuf Kabiru of the Allied Peoples Party.
SERAP said presidential candidates seeking the powers attached to the office should be prepared to subject their personal financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny before asking Nigerians for their votes.
“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.
It argued that Nigerians should be able to choose their next president on the basis of policies, competence, integrity, character and vision rather than the financial strength of the candidates.
According to SERAP, voluntary pre-election asset disclosure would enable voters to identify potential conflicts of interest and scrutinise significant sources of wealth, while providing a baseline for monitoring changes in the assets of candidates who eventually assume office.
The organisation said the 2027 presidential election offered political leaders an opportunity to demonstrate that they regarded public office as a public trust.