The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) over its alleged failure to investigate claims that lawmakers removed key provisions on electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill. The suit, filed as number FHC/ABJ/CS/634/2026 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also challenges the CCB's inaction regarding alleged unlawful changes to the tax reform bills. SERAP is seeking a court order to compel the CCB to probe allegations that certain lawmakers and executive branch officers altered the tax reform legislation, resulting in discrepancies between the version passed and the gazetted copy. The group wants the CCB to investigate potential breaches of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and refer any findings to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution.
SERAP argues that lawmaking influenced by conflict of interest or abuse of office violates constitutional and ethical standards. The group cited Paragraph 1 of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits public officers from placing themselves in positions of personal interest. According to SERAP, the integrity of the legislative process was compromised when changes were made without debate or approval. The suit was filed by SERAP lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo.
A civil society group is now doing the job the CCB was created to handle—holding lawmakers and executive officials accountable for alleged misconduct in lawmaking. If the court compels the CCB to act, it may finally investigate whether powerful figures manipulated the Electoral Act and tax laws for private gain. For Nigerians, this raises the bar on whether institutions meant to enforce integrity will respond to pressure—or continue to be seen as passive. The outcome may signal whether constitutional safeguards have any real weight.
