SERAP Urges Candidates to Disclose Assets Before 2027 Election

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on all 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish details of their assets and liabilities ahead of the 2027 presidential election. In a statement from its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP requested that candidates also disclose the assets of their spouses and, where applicable, their unmarried children under 18.

The organization urged candidates to reveal the legitimate sources of their significant assets and to publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election. SERAP emphasized that candidates should exceed the minimum legal requirements and adopt higher standards of transparency, accountability, and integrity.

The organization stated that those seeking Nigeria's highest elected office must demonstrate that their personal financial affairs can withstand public scrutiny, asserting that democracy belongs to the citizens and that public office should not be treated as private property.