“What Was Passed Is Not What Was Gazetted,” Reps Raise Alarm Over Tax Laws

Members of the House of Representatives have raised concerns over alleged alterations in the newly gazetted tax laws, warning that the version currently in circulation does not reflect what was passed by the National Assembly. The issue was brought to the floor on Wednesday by Abdussamad Dasuki, who spoke under a matter of privilege during plenary.

Dasuki told the House that after reviewing the gazetted copy of the tax laws alongside the votes and proceedings of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, he discovered discrepancies between the harmonized version approved by lawmakers and the document made public. He said the differences affect some clauses of the legislation and undermine the decisions taken by both chambers.

According to him, lawmakers debated and passed the tax bills after due process, and their votes were duly recorded. He expressed concern that Nigerians are now being presented with a version of the law that does not correspond with what was approved by the legislature, describing the situation as a serious breach of legislative privilege and constitutional procedure.

Dasuki called on the Speaker to compare the harmonized version passed by the House and Senate with the gazetted copy, insisting that a review would reveal clear inconsistencies. He urged that all relevant documents be brought before the Committee of the Whole to allow lawmakers make the necessary corrections and amendments.

He further described the development as a breach of the Constitution and warned that it should not be ignored by the House. Responding, Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, assured members that the matter would be examined and addressed in the interest of the nation.