- Safiu Kehinde
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) group has petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) over alleged abuse of office by the National Assembly and the executive branch and unlawful alteration of the legislative documents.
SERAP, in a petition dated February 7, 2026, and addressed to the CCB Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello, raised the alarm over the removal of electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and material discrepancies found in the recently gazetted Tax Reform Laws.
The petition, signed by the organisation’s deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, alleged that certain senators deleted the electronic transmission provisions during plenary, even after a majority had voted for them, without any formal debate.
“Where lawmaking is shaped by abuse of office and conflict of interest, it ceases to be a legitimate exercise of constitutional and fiduciary responsibility and becomes a legal and ethical infraction prohibited under the Code of Conduct for Public Officers,” SERAP stated.
The group further noted that such conduct suggests that certain amendments may have been introduced or removed to serve private or political interests rather than the public interest.
This, according to SERAP, violated the constitutional mandate that personal gain must not interfere with public functions.
Beyond the Electoral Act, SERAP is seeking a probe into how the Tax Reform Laws gazetted by the Federal Government ended up with “unlawful alterations” that were never approved by the National Assembly.
It cited a point of privilege raised by Sokoto lawmaker Abdussamad Dasuki, who highlighted the discrepancies between the versions passed by the legislature and those circulated by the Ministry of Information.
“The lawmaker said the alterations contained in the gazetted copies did not receive legislative approval. These alleged unlawful alterations raise questions over the legality and legitimacy of both the law-making processes and the versions of the tax laws circulated by the Federal Ministry of Information.” SERAP said.
The organisation warned that it would take the matter to court if the CCB fails to act within a week.
“Public officers hold their offices in trust for the people and must not deploy official power for personal or sectional advantage,” it said.
“This principle applies with particular force to officers of the executive branch, and lawmakers whose constitutional mandate is to legislate for the peace, order and good government of the Federation, not to advance personal interests.”
“We would be grateful if the complaint is considered within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of the complaint. If we have not heard from the Bureau by then, the Incorporated Trustees of SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel the Bureau to comply with our request in the public interest,” SERAP said.
The group also demanded that the Bureau examine whether “inducements, benefits, or promises” were offered to influence these legislative changes and refer any substantiated violations to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
It gave the CCB seven-day ultiamtum to address the petition.