The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has called on the 19 presidential candidates cleared for the 2027 election to publicly declare their assets and liabilities before seeking votes from Nigerians.
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The organisation made the demand in an open letter dated August 8, 2026, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
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SERAP asked the candidates to disclose their personal assets and liabilities, as well as those of their spouses and, where applicable, unmarried children below the age of 18. It also urged them to explain the lawful sources of their major assets and make clear commitments against vote-buying and electoral bribery.
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Among the candidates listed by the organisation are President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.
Others include Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party, 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 Labour Alliance and Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party.
SERAP also listed 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 People’s Party, Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer of the Social Democratic Party, Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement and Yusuf Kabiru of the Action Peoples Party.
The group said candidates seeking to become president should be ready to allow Nigerians to examine their financial records to a reasonable extent. It argued that anyone seeking control of public funds, national resources and other government powers should show that their financial affairs are transparent.
According to SERAP, voluntary asset disclosure would help build public confidence and give voters more information about the people asking for their support in the 2027 election.
The organisation noted that the Constitution does not specifically require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election. However, it pointed to constitutional provisions requiring public office holders, including the President, to declare their assets and liabilities.
SERAP said the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution requires public officers to declare their properties, assets and liabilities, including those belonging to unmarried children below 18. It also referred to the requirement for a President-elect to submit the prescribed declaration before assuming office.
The group also raised concerns about vote-buying, saying the use of money, gifts or other benefits to influence voters weakens the electoral process.
SERAP called on all the presidential candidates to publicly reject electoral bribery and vote-buying before and during the 2027 election.
It further referred to constitutional provisions stating that political authority belongs to the people and provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 dealing with bribery and efforts to influence voters through unlawful inducements.
The organisation said the 2027 presidential election should provide an opportunity for candidates to show Nigerians that they are prepared to uphold transparency and accountability if elected.
It therefore urged all the candidates to go beyond the minimum legal requirements by voluntarily making their financial records available to the public and taking a clear position against practices capable of compromising the credibility of the election.
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