By Abiola Olawale
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has officially petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), calling for an urgent investigation into members of the Nigerian Senate.
The request centers on allegations of abuse of office and conflict of interest regarding the controversial handling of the Electoral Act amendment and the 2025 Tax Reform Laws.
The petition was dated February 7, 2026, and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare.
In the petition, SERAP alleged that certain senators participated in the “arbitrary removal” of provisions regarding the electronic transmission of election results.
According to the rights group, these provisions were deleted during plenary sessions even after a majority of lawmakers had reportedly voted for their inclusion, and without the required open debate.
The group is also urging the CCB to investigate discrepancies in the Tax Reform Bills. Reports suggest that the versions of the bills harmonized by the National Assembly differ significantly from the copies eventually signed into law and gazetted by the Federal Government.
“According to our information, certain members of the Senate allegedly removed the provisions on electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill during plenary after the majority of the senators had voted for the inclusion of the provisions and without any debate on the proposed removal of the said provisions,” SERAP said.
The organisation also requested the CCB to investigate alterations in the Tax Reform Bills, which reportedly led to discrepancies between the harmonised versions passed by the National Assembly and the copies signed into law and gazetted by the Federal Government.
“Similarly, the National Assembly recently alleged that there are unlawful alterations and some material differences between the tax reform bills passed by the legislative body and the tax reform laws gazetted by the Federal Government.
“A Sokoto lawmaker, Abdussamad Dasuki, raised the issue under a matter of privilege, drawing the attention of the House to the alleged discrepancies between the harmonised versions of the tax reform bills passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and the copies gazetted by the Federal Government.
“The lawmakers 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,” the petition added.
SERAP said the petition is submitted under paragraphs 1 and 9 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers contained in the Fifth Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and sections 5 and 13 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
Citing the Constitution, SERAP noted that public officers must not place themselves in situations where personal interests conflict with official duties.
