The House of Representatives has imposed a six-month deadline for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to audit its financial accounts under the proposed Electoral Bill 2025.
The proposal is contained in a report of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, seen by THE WHISTLER.
The new bill seeks to repeal the Electoral Act, 2022.
The Act provides that INEC shall keep proper accounts and records in respect of each financial year and cause its accounts to be audited “as soon as possible” after the end of each financial year as required by law.
However, the Electoral Bill 2025 proposes that INEC’s accounts must be audited “not later than six months” after the end of each financial year.
THE WHISTLER recalls that INEC had faced criticisms, including a recent lawsuit, over alleged financial impropriety.
On January 11, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project announced that it had sued the electoral body over failure to account for N55.9bn meant for the 2019 general elections.
In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/38/2026 filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP said “the grave allegations are documented in the latest annual report published by the Auditor-General on 9 September, 2025.”
SERAP is seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel @inecnigeria to account for the missing or diverted N55.9 billion meant to buy smart card readers, ballot papers, and other election materials for the 2019 general elections.”
It is also seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to disclose the names of all contractors paid the N55.9 billion for the procurement of smart card readers, ballot papers, result sheets, and other election materials for the 2019 general elections, including the names of their directors and shareholders.”
SERAP warned, “INEC cannot ensure impartial administration of future elections if these allegations are not satisfactorily addressed, perpetrators including the contractors involved are not prosecuted and the proceeds of corruption are not fully recovered.”
“INEC cannot properly carry out its constitutional and statutory responsibilities to conduct free and fair elections in the country if it continues to fail to uphold the basic principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law.”
The organisation further stated the allegations “constitute abuse of public office and show the urgent need by INEC to commit to transparency, accountability, clean governance and the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, the Electoral Bill 2025 also proposed several other changes, including the extension of the period for political parties to inspect samples of electoral materials from 20 days to 60 days before an election.
The bill also seeks to restrict means of identification for voter registration to Nigerian birth certificates, Nigerian passports, or National Identification Numbers.
It removed the “any other document” provision contained in the Electoral Act, 2022.
The bill further seeks to stipulate that Resident Electoral Commissioners be “disciplined by the Commission” and specified penalties to include at least three years imprisonment for returning officers who announce false results.