Publish your assets, reject vote-buying, SERAP to Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, 16 others

” SERAP therefore urged all 19 presidential candidates to urgently: Publish their assets and liabilities before the election, including relevant assets and liabilities of their spouses and unmarried children under 18; Disclose the legitimate sources of significant assets, including business interests, investments, real property, substantial gifts and inheritance, while protecting legitimate personal security and privacy; Commit to updating their public declarations if elected and explaining material increases in wealth; Publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery, including conduct undertaken through campaign organisations, agents, supporters or political associates; Instruct their campaign organisations and political associates not to distribute money, gifts, food, transportation benefits or other material inducements in exchange for votes; Report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to the appropriate authorities; and Sign and publish a public integrity pledge committing themselves, their parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free” “The Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and international human rights standards protect free and informed electoral choice, making transparency essential to meaningful democratic participation and providing a strong basis for candidates seeking the highest public office to voluntarily disclose relevant financial information, particularly where corruption and vote-buying threaten electoral integrity.” “Although the Nigerian Constitution does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election, the Constitution, read as a whole, embodies principles of transparency, accountability, integrity in public office and meaningful participation in government.