House Minority Caucus Investigates Alleged Changes to Tax Laws

The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has established a seven-member committee to investigate claims that the recently signed tax reform laws were altered after being passed by the National Assembly.

The committee, chaired by Mr. Afam Ogene, the representative for Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra State, is tasked with examining the controversy surrounding the alleged modifications and recommending appropriate actions in the national interest.

The decision followed allegations raised on the House floor by Abdussamad Dasuki, a lawmaker from Sokoto State, who claimed that the version of the tax laws currently gazetted differs significantly from the harmonised version approved by both chambers of the National Assembly.

Although Speaker Tajudeen Abbas had previously set up a seven-member panel to investigate the claim, the House later directed the Clerk of the National Assembly to re-gazette the harmonised version of the laws and issue a True Certified Copy to resolve the dispute.

Despite calls for the suspension of the new tax regime pending verification, the Federal Government, under the directive of President Bola Tinubu, proceeded with implementation from January 1, 2026.

In a statement issued by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and three other caucus leaders, the minority caucus explained its decision.

“We wish to inform our members that, following consultations with relevant stakeholders regarding the ongoing controversy over alleged unlawful alterations to the tax reform laws passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President, and in light of the executive’s insistence on implementing the tax laws from January 1, 2026, the leadership of the minority caucus has deemed it necessary to establish a seven-member fact-finding committee to thoroughly investigate the matter,” the statement read in part.

“As the opposition bloc in the House of Representatives, we have a responsibility to Nigerians to conduct an independent and unbiased inquiry, establish the facts, and uncover the truth regarding these tax laws.”

The statement outlined the committee’s mandate, which includes:

Obtaining copies of the tax laws as passed by both chambers and assented to by the President.

Securing the Federal Government gazette containing the alleged altered version of the laws.

Reviewing the official documents to determine whether the laws passed by the National Assembly match the versions signed by the President, and comparing them with the gazetted copies.

Recommending to the minority caucus appropriate actions if any violations are confirmed.

Other members of the committee are Jonathan Gbefwi, Shehu Fagge, Aliyu Garu, Stanley Adedeji, Ibe Okwara, and Marie Ibikake. The panel has been given seven days to submit its findings to the minority caucus.

The Chinda-led caucus reiterated its commitment to pursuing the investigation to ensure accountability and protect the interests of Nigerians.

“We remain steadfast in our dedication to safeguarding the rights of citizens. This committee represents one of the steps we are taking to address this controversy, which has generated significant concern. Our goal is to ensure that no segment of the population, particularly the poor and vulnerable, is disadvantaged by these developments,” the statement added.