Nigeria’s National Assembly has mandated the re-gazetting of four controversial tax reform laws following allegations that the published versions contain provisions different from what lawmakers actually passed.
The directive was jointly issued by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who instructed the Clerk to the National Assembly to re-gazette the Acts and provide Certified True Copies (CTCs) reflecting the authentic versions approved by both legislative chambers.
The affected legislation includes 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.
House Spokesperson Akin Rotimi explained in a Friday statement that the measure is administrative, designed to ensure official records accurately mirror the legislature’s decisions and preserve the integrity of the National Assembly’s legislative documentation.
The controversy erupted when Representative Abdulsamad Dasuki raised concerns during plenary, alleging that gazetted versions of the tax laws differed substantially from what legislators debated and approved. Dasuki claimed the discrepancies violated his legislative rights.
The tax bills underwent months of debate, public hearings, and detailed review before passage in February, followed by harmonization between both chambers. President Bola Tinubu signed all four bills into law on June 26.
Opposition parties and civil society groups have since demanded investigations into the matter, prompting the House to establish a seven-member ad hoc committee led by Aliyu Betara to examine the alleged irregularities. Other committee members include Idris Wase, Sada Soli, Adedeji Faleke, Igariwey Iduma, Fred Agbedi, and Babajimi Benson.
Rotimi emphasized that the institutional review will trace the sequence of events and identify any contributing factors, including potential lapses, irregularities, or external interference. The exercise is being conducted in accordance with the Constitution, the Acts Authentication Act, parliamentary standing orders, and established legislative practice.
“This review does not imply any defect in the exercise of legislative authority by either chamber,” Rotimi stressed, adding that it focuses strictly on institutional processes without prejudice to other government branches or legal proceedings.
He called on Nigerians to allow the National Assembly’s processes to proceed without speculation, reaffirming the House leadership’s commitment to transparency, accountability, constitutionalism, and the rule of law.
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