The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has formally asked the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to investigate the conduct of senators over the controversial handling of provisions on electronic transmission of election results in the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act.
In a petition made public on Sunday, the rights group alleged that certain lawmakers altered key sections of the bill during plenary proceedings, despite an earlier vote by a majority of senators in support of retaining electronic transmission provisions. SERAP claimed the changes were made without proper deliberation or transparency.
The controversy follows a recent Senate session in which lawmakers declined to make electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) mandatory. The decision has sparked criticism from civil society groups and election observers, who argue that it could weaken electoral transparency and public confidence in future polls.
SERAP said the alleged actions raise serious questions about legislative integrity and compliance with ethical standards expected of public officers. It urged the CCB to determine whether the lawmakers involved violated provisions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
The group also expanded its petition to include concerns beyond the Electoral Act. It called for an inquiry into alleged inconsistencies between tax reform bills approved by the National Assembly and the versions later signed into law and gazetted by the Federal Government.
While Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has rejected claims that the Senate removed electronic transmission clauses from the bill, and similarly dismissed allegations of discrepancies in the tax laws, SERAP insisted that both matters warrant independent scrutiny.
According to the organisation, any manipulation of legislative outcomes for improper purposes undermines democratic governance and erodes public trust in state institutions.
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