By Ibrahim Ibrahim
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has called for the immediate suspension of the implementation of Nigeria’s newly enacted Tax Reform Laws, amid allegations that the versions gazetted and circulated to the public were altered after passage by the National Assembly and assent by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The call followed claims by a member of the House that the tax reform bills approved by both chambers were materially different from the copies later made public, sparking widespread controversy and debate over the integrity of the legislative and gazetting process.
In response, the House of Representatives has inaugurated a high-powered investigative committee to determine whether the laws were unlawfully amended after passage, fraudulently gazetted, or improperly circulated.
Reacting to the development, the Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, described the situation as a grave constitutional issue that transcends partisan politics. He warned that any tampering with laws duly passed by the legislature amounts to an attack on democracy and undermines the independence and credibility of the National Assembly.
The caucus stressed that under established legislative procedures, only laws duly transmitted by the Clerk to the National Assembly to the appropriate government agency can be lawfully gazetted, noting that the National Assembly remains the sole custodian of authentic federal laws.
It therefore urged Nigerians to disregard any purported tax laws in circulation that do not bear the signatures of the Clerk to the National Assembly and the President, insisting that such documents could not have originated from the legislature.
The Minority Caucus further warned that attempts to impose fake or altered laws on the public constitute a direct assault on the constitutional role of the National Assembly and risk eroding public confidence in the tax reform agenda.
Consequently, the lawmakers called on the Federal Government to suspend implementation of the tax laws pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation and the confirmation of the authentic texts to be enforced.
They also emphasized that Nigerians and the business community are entitled to clear, certified copies of the laws they are expected to obey, noting that legal certainty is critical for compliance, investment and economic stability.
While expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s democratic credentials, the caucus urged him to act swiftly in the national interest by addressing the concerns raised.
The statement was jointly signed by the Minority Whip, Rt. Hon. Ali Isa J.C., PhD; Deputy Minority Leader, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Madaki; and Deputy Minority Whip, Rt. Hon. George Ozodinobi.
