The probe stems from a matter of privilege raised in plenary by Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto) who claimed that the gazetted copies of the new tax laws obtained from the Federal Ministry of Information — do not match the versions debated, harmonised and passed by both chambers of the National Assembly. He warned that such differences could amount to a constitutional breach and undermine legislative credibility.
The tax reform laws including key acts intended to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system were passed by the House and Senate in 2025 and signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mid-year, with implementation scheduled to begin in January 2026.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for a six-month extension of the tax laws’ commencement to allow a thorough investigation and public scrutiny of the alleged discrepancies, arguing that implementing laws under dispute could erode public trust.
Other commentators and bodies have expressed alarm at the possibility that provisions not debated by lawmakers could have been included in the gazetted text, emphasising the serious implications for constitutional order, governance transparency, and public confidence in law-making.
The ad-hoc committee will compare the National Assembly-approved versions of the tax laws with the official gazetted documents to determine the nature and extent of the discrepancies.
The committee’s findings are expected to be reported back to the House and could lead to corrective legislative action if inconsistencies are confirmed.
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