- Presidency denies claims of altered tax laws after passage
- Lawmaker alleges discrepancies between passed and gazetted versions
- Obi, Atiku demand suspension pending investigation
- FG insists tax reforms will take effect January 2026
The Federal Government has dismissed claims that provisions of the newly enacted tax reform laws were secretly altered after presidential assent, insisting that the legislation followed due constitutional process.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed four major tax reform bills into law in June after months of legislative debates and public scrutiny. The laws include the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill, all scheduled to take effect in January 2026.
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However, controversy erupted after a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged that the gazetted versions of the tax laws differed from what lawmakers approved on the floor of the House.
“What was passed on the floor is not what is gazetted. I was here, I voted, and what I am seeing now is completely different,” Dasuki said.
He described the alleged discrepancies as a constitutional breach and urged the National Assembly to urgently review the matter.
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Following the claims, opposition leaders including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi called on the Federal Government to suspend implementation of the tax laws pending an independent investigation.
Atiku, speaking through his media aide Paul Ibe, warned that any post-passage alteration of legislation amounted to criminal falsification.
“Something has been appended to the law. This is dangerous. What else has been doctored?” Atiku said.
Peter Obi also condemned the development, describing it as a threat to constitutional governance and public trust.
“We have moved from budget padding to law forgery. Nigerians cannot be asked to pay more taxes in an atmosphere of opacity,” Obi stated.
He raised concerns over provisions allegedly introduced without parliamentary approval, including mandatory deposits before tax appeals and expanded enforcement powers for tax authorities.
Reacting, the Presidency dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
Speaking to journalists, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said no evidence had been presented to support claims of alterations.
“The laws were passed through due process. Opposition noise will not stop their implementation in January,” Ajayi said.
He added that a House committee chaired by James Faleke was already investigating the allegations and should be allowed to conclude its work.
Similarly, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, ruled out any suspension of the tax reforms.
“The law has been passed. Some provisions are already being implemented, and by January 1, it will fully take effect,” Onanuga said.
Despite growing political tension, the Presidency maintained that the tax laws would proceed as scheduled, insisting that transparency would be addressed through legislative oversight, not policy reversal.
