…SERAP Threatens Court Action Over Unapproved Alterations
…NLC Warns of Election Boycott Ahead of 2027 Polls
Daud Olatunji
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have issued stern warnings to the National Assembly and executive officials over alleged tampering with key legislative documents, threatening legal action and nationwide protests if clarity is not provided.
In a petition dated February 7, 2026, SERAP demanded that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) investigate purported misconduct by lawmakers and executive officers within seven days.
The civil society group flagged the removal of electronic transmission of election results from the Electoral Act Amendment Bill and “material discrepancies” in the recently gazetted Tax Reform Laws.
Signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the petition alleged that some senators deleted provisions on electronic transmission during plenary sessions despite majority approval, with no formal debate.
“Where lawmaking is shaped by abuse of office and conflict of interest, it ceases to be a legitimate exercise of constitutional responsibility and becomes a legal and ethical infraction,” SERAP stated.
The organisation also referenced Sokoto lawmaker Abdussamad Dasuki, who highlighted differences between the versions of the Tax Reform Laws passed by the legislature and those circulated by the Federal Ministry of Information.
SERAP warned that such alterations could serve private or political interests rather than the public good and threatened to approach the courts if the CCB fails to act, emphasizing that public officers hold their offices in trust for the people.
Meanwhile, the NLC has condemned the Senate for creating confusion over the electronic transmission of election results, warning that ambiguity could spark nationwide protests or even a boycott of the 2027 elections.
NLC President Joe Ajaero said contradictory statements from lawmakers are undermining public confidence in the electoral system.
“Nigerians deserve a transparent system where votes are not only counted but seen to be counted,” Ajaero said.
He noted that while the House of Representatives approved mandatory electronic transmission, the Senate rejected the amendment compelling presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results in real time to the IReV portal.
” Instead, the Senate retained the existing law, allowing INEC to transfer results “in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
The Congress demanded that the Senate issue an immediate, official, and unambiguous account of the final provisions passed. It warned that failure to mandate real-time electronic transmission could trigger mass action before, during, and after the elections.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio defended the upper chamber, saying the Senate did not scrap electronic transmission but removed the term “real-time” to allow INEC flexibility due to network and security challenges.
He reassured Nigerians that the law would still include reforms such as digital voter identification using QR codes and stiffer penalties for electoral offences.
Civil society groups and opposition parties have criticised the Senate’s decision, warning that manual collation increases the risk of result manipulation ahead of the 2027 polls.
With the current standoff between the House and Senate, a conference committee is expected to harmonise both versions of the bill before transmission to the President for assent.
SERAP further urged the CCB to investigate whether inducements, benefits, or promises influenced legislative changes, and if confirmed, to refer any violations to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
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