Nigeria’s House of Representatives has pushed back strongly against allegations that Nigeria’s recently approved tax laws were manipulated after passage, insisting that the claims are false and deliberately misleading.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese, said the controversy surrounding the tax legislation was unnecessary and driven by misinformation. He was reacting to comments by Senator Ali Ndume, who alleged that the version of the tax laws signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu differed from what was passed by the National Assembly.
Agbese said reports suggesting that multiple versions of the gazetted tax laws exist were inaccurate and could erode public trust in the legislative process. He stressed that the National Assembly followed established procedures at every stage of the bill’s consideration and passage.
According to him, there was no attempt by lawmakers to alter, replace, or conceal any provision of the tax legislation after it was approved. He added that both the House of Representatives and the Senate remain committed to openness and accountability in their legislative duties.
The deputy spokesperson further noted that the leadership of the National Assembly had already made the original tax bills publicly accessible, pointing out that no committee findings had been submitted to support claims of post-passage alterations.
The dispute has emerged amid ongoing debates over Nigeria’s new tax regime, with opposition parties and some lawmakers continuing to question aspects of the legislation since its passage.
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