The Presidency has strongly rejected claims that provisions in the newly enacted tax reform laws were secretly altered, insisting that all changes were made within the proper legal and legislative processes.

 

This response follows allegations from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several civil society organizations, who have called for the suspension of the tax laws’ implementation. These groups have raised concerns about possible discrepancies between the version of the laws passed by the National Assembly and those that were eventually gazetted and released to the public.

 

The controversial tax reform laws, which faced significant opposition from lawmakers in northern Nigeria during their passage, are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. The reforms, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, are described by the government as a major overhaul of the country’s tax system in decades.

 

The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, which will all operate under a single authority, the Nigeria Revenue Service, NIRS.

The Federal Government argues that these reforms are intended to simplify tax compliance, broaden the tax base, eliminate overlapping taxes, and modernize the revenue collection system across federal, state, and local governments.

 

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However, the reforms have come under scrutiny after a claim by Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives (PDP, Sokoto). Dasuki alleged that the gazetted versions of the tax laws did not match those passed by the National Assembly. He claimed that several key provisions discussed and approved during legislative debates were missing or altered in the final documents released to the public.

 

During a session on Wednesday, Dasuki warned that these discrepancies could potentially undermine the legal standing of the new laws, as they might lack proper legislative approval. He called on the House Speaker to ensure that all relevant documents, including the harmonized versions, votes, and proceedings be examined by the Committee of the Whole.

 

In response, the House of Representatives moved quickly to address the allegations. On Thursday, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced the formation of a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate the discrepancies. The committee is tasked with thoroughly reviewing the claims and submitting a report for further legislative action.

The alleged alterations include the removal of key provisions related to oversight and accountability that were originally approved by lawmakers.

 

Additionally, sources within the National Assembly claim that the gazetted versions of the laws introduced new coercive measures, such as arrest powers, garnishee orders without court approval, and mandatory USD computation, none of which were part of the versions ratified by Parliament.

As the investigation continues, the future of the tax reforms remains uncertain, with critics demanding that the discrepancies be addressed before the laws are implemented.

 

Source: Punch