SERAP demands asset declaration, anti-vote-buying pledge from 19 Presidential candidates

By Precious Mark

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on all 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publicly declare their personal assets.

The advocacy group issued the demand on Sunday, August 9, 2026, urging contenders to disclose comprehensive details of their assets and liabilities, as well as those of their spouses and unmarried children under the age of 18.

SERAP also challenged the candidates to publicly and unequivocally reject vote-buying and electoral bribery ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The candidates addressed by the organization include President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), 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), Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), among 12 others.

The organization emphasized that candidates seeking constitutional power over public finances, natural resources, and national security should voluntarily demonstrate financial transparency.

“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,” SERAP stated.

While the 1999 Constitution requires elected officials to declare their assets before assuming office, SERAP stressed that voluntary pre-election disclosure goes beyond the minimum legal requirement to build public trust.

The organization highlighted that publishing legitimate sources of wealth such as business interests, investments, real estate, substantial gifts, and inheritances allows citizens to evaluate potential conflicts of interest before casting their ballots.

“Voluntary pre-election disclosure would enable voters to assess potential conflicts of interest and significant sources of wealth, strengthen public confidence in the electoral process, and establish a baseline against which future changes in assets could be assessed if a candidate is elected,” SERAP added.

Addressing the issue of vote-buying, SERAP warned that financial inducements exploit economic vulnerabilities and undermine the core constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people.

“Nigerians should not be asked to choose between candidates on the basis of who can spend the most money.”

“They should be able to choose on the basis of policies, competence, integrity, character, and vision for Nigeria,” SERAP said.

The organization urged all 19 contenders to instruct their campaign organizations, agents, and supporters not to distribute money, gifts, food, or transportation allowances in exchange for votes, calling on them to sign and publish a formal integrity pledge committing to peaceful, transparent, and corruption-free elections.