The Presidency has rejected allegations of inconsistencies in the newly signed tax reform laws, insisting that documents circulating in the media do not represent the authentic versions passed by the National Assembly.
The clarification follows claims by a member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki, who alleged that the laws gazetted and released to the public differed from those approved by lawmakers. Dasuki argued that the situation amounted to a violation of legislative procedure and his rights as a lawmaker.
The allegation sparked reactions from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several civil society organisations, all of whom called on the Federal Government to suspend implementation of the laws pending clarification.
Responding to the controversy on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, dismissed the claims, stating that the documents being circulated were not authentic.
Oyedele explained that there was no valid basis for comparing the gazetted laws with those passed by the National Assembly, as the officially harmonised versions certified by the Clerk of the National Assembly had not been made public. He noted that only lawmakers are in a position to authoritatively state what was transmitted to the President for assent.
According to him, even members of the tax reform committee do not have access to the certified harmonised bills. He added that the House of Representatives committee handling the matter had informed him that it had not met on the issue and that the document in circulation did not originate from the committee.
Oyedele urged the public to allow the House of Representatives to conclude its investigation into the matter.
President Bola Tinubu recently signed four tax reform bills into law as part of broader efforts to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system.