By The House of Representatives committee investigating alleged discrepancies in Nigeria’s gazetted tax laws has pledged to submit its report promptly upon concluding its assignment.
The chairman of the committee, Muktar Betara, gave the assurance on Wednesday following the panel’s inaugural meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Betara heads the seven-member committee constituted by the House after the adoption of a matter of privilege raised two weeks ago by Abdussamad Dasuki, a member representing Sokoto State.
Dasuki had drawn the attention of the Green Chamber to what he described as troubling inconsistencies between tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions subsequently gazetted and circulated, including copies found within government offices. He alleged that some provisions in the gazetted laws materially differed from those approved by lawmakers, arguing that any such alterations—if established—would constitute a serious breach of legislative procedure and the rule of law.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the committee’s media unit, Betara said members were united in their resolve to complete the assignment without delay.
“The committee has resolved to conclude its assignment and submit its report to the House within the shortest possible time. At the meeting, members resolved to conclude the investigation and report back to the House within the shortest time for legislative integrity, due process, and public confidence,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Reaffirming the panel’s commitment to openness and diligence, the chairman assured that its findings and recommendations would be laid before the House immediately after the investigation is concluded.
The probe comes amid heightened public and institutional scrutiny of Nigeria’s tax laws, particularly those amended or introduced through recent Finance Acts.
Over the years, successive Finance Acts have been used to amend multiple tax statutes, including the Companies Income Tax Act, the Value Added Tax Act, Customs and Excise Tariff laws, and other fiscal legislation, as part of efforts to reform revenue administration and align tax policy with prevailing economic realities.
Ali Ndume, former senate leader and lawmaker representing Borno south, has urged President Bola Tinubu to halt the implementation of the new tax laws on January 1, 2026, over forgery claims.
Lawmakers say the alleged alterations raise serious concerns about the integrity of the legislative process, the authenticity of laws being implemented by executive agencies, and the potential legal and financial consequences for taxpayers who rely on officially gazetted statutes.
The House of Representatives has stressed that only laws duly passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President can have legal force, warning that any post-passage alterations outside this process would undermine constitutional governance.
The committee’s findings are expected to clarify whether discrepancies exist between the laws passed by lawmakers and the versions subsequently gazetted, how such discrepancies may have occurred, and who may be responsible. The panel is also expected to recommend measures to safeguard the sanctity and integrity of future legislative enactments.
Meanwhile, former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the disputed Tax Reform Acts, which are scheduled to take effect in January, amid mounting controversy over their passage.
Ndume made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, following claims and counterclaims regarding alleged alterations to the tax laws after their passage by the National Assembly.
The appeal comes amid protests by opposition politicians and civil society organisations, including the Nigerian Bar Association, all of which have called on the Federal Government to halt the implementation of the laws pending a thorough investigation.
Reacting to the controversy, Ndume, who represents the Borno South Senatorial District, urged President Tinubu to constitute an ad hoc committee to verify the authenticity of the laws and investigate the alleged alterations.
The former Senate Chief Whip warned that proceeding with implementation without resolving the allegations would create legitimacy challenges and further erode public trust.
“With the controversy surrounding it, the President should constitute a team to verify the veracity of the claim and act accordingly. As a responsive leader that he has always been, he should look into it to determine whether the claim of alterations is genuine and do the needful to bring the controversy to rest,” Ndume said.
He added that failure to address the issue would stall implementation of the laws altogether.
“If not, the controversy will continue. That is to say, the tax law will not be implemented, because you can’t build on nothing. Mr President should therefore suspend the implementation until the issues are resolved. Many civil society organisations, the Arewa community, and the Nigerian Bar Association are calling for a withdrawal of the Tax Law and a proper investigation into the allegation of forgery,” he said.
Ndume further suggested that the proposed presidential committee should conduct its work alongside the ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives.
On Tuesday, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), warned that the controversies surrounding the tax laws threaten the integrity and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process.
Osigwe said the allegations strike at the core of constitutional governance and called for an open and transparent investigation to restore public confidence.
The controversy intensified last week when Abdussamad Dasuki alleged that the version of the tax laws gazetted by the Federal Government differed from the final copies passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent.
