The National Assembly has directed its Clerk to re-gazette the nation’s tax laws and issue Certified True Copies of the versions passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, following allegations of alterations to the laws.
The decision was disclosed in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by the House of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi.
PUNCH Online reports that two weeks ago, a lawmaker from Sokoto State, Abdussamad Dasuki, raised the alarm during plenary that the tax reform Acts passed by the parliament differed materially from copies in circulation at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Dasuki warned that the alleged alterations posed serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework and could threaten Nigeria’s democratic order.
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In response, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee chaired by Muktar Betara (APC, Borno) to investigate the allegations and report back to the House for further legislative action.
According to Rotimi, the leadership of the National Assembly has taken decisive steps to address the matter in order to safeguard public interest.
The statement read in part, “Recent public commentary has focused on the legislative process relating to the passage, presidential assent, and publication in the Official Gazette of the Federal Government of the following Acts: the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025.
“The commentary has raised issues concerning the harmonisation of bills passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, the documentation transmitted for Presidential assent, and the versions of the Acts subsequently published in the Official Gazette.
“The House of Representatives wishes to assure the public that these matters are being addressed strictly within the constitutional and statutory remit of the National Assembly.”
Rotimi noted that the House had already taken institutional action to address the concerns raised.
“Only last week, the House constituted a seven-man Ad-hoc committee on the matter after an Honourable Member raised it under a Point of Order (Privileges). The Ad-hoc Committee, alongside other relevant Committees of the National Assembly, working in collaboration with the Management of the National Assembly, is undertaking an institutional review to establish the sequence of events and to identify any factors that may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding the legislative and administrative handling of the Acts,” he added.
According to the statement, the review includes, “A careful examination of any lapses, irregularities, or external interferences, should any be established. The review is being conducted in full conformity with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Acts Authentication Act, Cap. A4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, the Standing Orders of both Chambers, and established parliamentary practice.
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“As part of the process, the leadership of the National Assembly has approved administrative steps to clarify the official legislative record.
“In the course of this review, and in the interest of clarity, accuracy, and the integrity of the legislative record, the leadership of the National Assembly, under the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to re-gazette the Acts and issue Certified True Copies of the versions duly passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly.
… Credit: Punch Newspapers.
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