Abeg, if you dey naija, you go sabi say this election matter no be small wahala! Our guys for Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) don carry matter go court for Abuja, dey sue Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over how dem take manage N55.9 billion wey suppose use buy election materials for 2019 general elections.
As e be, Auditor-General drop report wey show say INEC no follow correct process at all. Na so allegations begin fly say dem carry money give contractors without proper documentation or even approval. Wetin dey happen for this Nigerian politics ehn? No wonder we dey hear plenty gists about how democracy no too dey work for our side.
SERAP no just sit down dey look, dem file the case last Friday, make dem drag INEC come explain where the money disappear go, who dem give am, and who be the directors wey dey behind the contractors. Na serious wahala o! Dem dey talk say if INEC no fit handle dis matter well, how dem wan run future elections? E fit cause more wahala than we dey see now.
The report wey drop on September 9, 2025, no too sweet to read. E show say over N5.3 billion na wetin dem pay one contractor for smart card readers without the right approvals. E come dey vex the Auditor-General say dem talk say procurement dey under national security? How come dem no fit prove say dem don deliver wetin dem promise?
And that one no be all. E get payments wey exceed N4.5 billion wey dem give six contractors for ballot papers and result sheets without any document to back am up. Na so we see N331 million for different contracts, N41 billion for printing materials wey nobody fit explain how dem take spend am, plus N297 million for four Toyota Land Cruisers wey dey overpriced. Chai! This na the kind level wey dey make common man dey shout for street!
As we dey yarn dis one, na over N630 million in cash advances wey dem still no retire, and dem no deduct N2.1 billion wey suppose dey for stamp duties from contractors. SERAP team wey lead by Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo dey shout say this one na big violation of public trust and we no go fit allow am slide.
For now, the court don hold dem waya no date for hearing. But no worry as we go dey follow this gist closely. If money dey waka waka like this for electoral matter, how we wan fit trust say we dey chop democracy? Na to dey watch and see wetin go happen next with this lawsuit.
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