Transparency group calls on Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, and other presidential hopefuls to disclose their wealth ahead of the polls

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project is calling on the 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission to make public their assets and liabilities, as well as those of their spouses and any unmarried children under 18, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

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Additionally, SERAP is urging these candidates to reveal the legitimate sources of their significant assets and to publicly denounce vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election.

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This call to action was made in an open letter to the candidates dated August 8, 2026, and was issued by SERAP's Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

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The 19 candidates listed by SERAP include President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, among others.

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Other candidates on the list are Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, and Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party.

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The list also includes Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick of the National Democratic Party, Chukwu Anita Zugwai of the Young Progressive Party, and Rufai Adekunle Omoaje of the Action Alliance.

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Further, the candidates listed are Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party, Memeh Samuel of the Democratic Labour Alliance, and Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party.

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Others on the list are Okereke Sunday Chibuzor of the Labour Party, Okereke Iken Esther of the National Rescue Movement, and Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party.

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The remaining candidates are 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.

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SERAP is encouraging these candidates to go beyond the minimum legal requirements and to voluntarily adopt higher standards of transparency, accountability, and integrity in their pursuit of Nigeria's highest elected office.

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Candidates seeking to hold public office, particularly those with significant constitutional powers, should be willing to demonstrate that their personal financial affairs can withstand public scrutiny, according to SERAP.

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Nigeria's democracy is rooted in the principle that power belongs to its citizens, and as such, votes should not be bought and public office should not be treated as private property, SERAP emphasized.

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The 2027 presidential election presents an opportunity for political leaders to demonstrate their commitment to transparency and accountability, and candidates who voluntarily disclose their assets and reject vote-buying can show that they are prepared to uphold these principles if elected.

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Although the Nigerian Constitution does not explicitly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election, it embodies principles of transparency, accountability, and integrity in public office, SERAP noted.

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The Constitution already requires elected public officers, including the President, to declare their assets and liabilities, as outlined in Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule and section 140(1), which requires the President to make a declaration before assuming office.

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SERAP also expressed concern about the persistent use of money, gifts, and other inducements to influence voters, which directly undermines the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people.

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This concern is supported by Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which states that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, and Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which criminalizes bribery and related conduct intended to influence the outcome of an election.