Alleged alteration: NASS directs clerk to re-gazette tax laws

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The National Assembly has directed its clerk to re-gazette the four tax laws passed recently by the parliament and issue Certified True Copies (CTC) of the versions of the acts passed by the two chambers.

The chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi, in a statement yesterday, said the move was intended to “accurately reflect the legislative decisions of the National Assembly” on the tax laws.

This is coming amid controversy over alleged alterations of the tax laws, which is scheduled to become operational on January 1, 2026.

The legislations are 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.

A member of the House of Representatives, from Sokoto State, Abdussamad Dasuki, recently, raised the alarm that the gazetted copy of the laws was different from the harmonised version passed by the House and the Senate.

In response, the House set up a seven-man Ad-hoc Committee, headed by the Chairman Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muktar Betara, to investigate the allegations and report back to it for further legislative actions.

Rotimi noted that the panel, alongside other committees of the federal legislature, was working with the management of the National Assembly to review the sequence of events in relation to the laws.

According to him, “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.

“This 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.”