Reps Probe Alleged Alteration of New Tax Laws

Tension rose in the House of Representatives on Wednesday after a lawmaker alleged that Nigeria’s newly passed tax laws may have been altered after approval by the National Assembly, raising concerns over legislative integrity and constitutional breach.

The allegation was raised by Abdussamad Dasuki during plenary under a matter of personal privilege, where he told lawmakers that the version of the tax laws currently being circulated to the public differs from the harmonised text passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Dasuki said his concern emerged after reviewing the gazetted copy of the tax laws over the past few days and comparing it with the official votes and proceedings of both chambers. According to him, the discrepancies were not minor but involved clauses that were never approved by lawmakers.

He told the House that as a legislator who participated in the debates and voted on the bills, his parliamentary privilege had been breached. He stressed that lawmakers had a constitutional responsibility to ensure that only legislation duly passed by the National Assembly is presented to Nigerians as law.

The lawmaker warned that allowing altered versions of legislation to circulate without scrutiny could undermine public confidence in the legislative process and weaken the authority of the National Assembly. He further alleged that the version being promoted to the public through official government channels does not reflect the decisions reached during the harmonisation process between the two chambers.

Dasuki called on the House leadership to immediately retrieve all relevant documents, including the harmonised committee report and the gazetted version of the tax laws, and subject them to a detailed review by the Committee of the Whole. He said such a step was necessary to identify the source of the discrepancies and correct them before further damage is done.

Describing the situation as a serious constitutional issue, he urged lawmakers not to treat the matter lightly, noting that any post-passage alteration of bills amounts to a violation of legislative procedure and the supremacy of parliament.

In response, Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, acknowledged the concerns raised and assured members that the House leadership would investigate the matter thoroughly. He said the House would take appropriate steps to safeguard the integrity of the legislative process and act in the national interest.

The development comes amid heightened public attention on tax reforms, as the new laws are expected to shape Nigeria’s fiscal framework and affect businesses, individuals and government revenue in the coming years.