Nigeria’s new tax law is supposed to take off in 13 days, but it has run into a monumental scandal after a member of the House of Representatives raised benumbing allegations that the tax reform laws signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are materially different from the versions passed by the National Assembly — prompting urgent calls for transparency and accountability.
The controversy centers on discrepancies between the official gazetted copies of the tax reform laws — published by the Federal Government after presidential assent — and the text that lawmakers had approved during legislative deliberations. Opposition lawmakers say the differences go beyond minor clerical edits and could amount to a constitutional breach.
During Wednesday’s plenary session, Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto) raised a matter of privilege on the floor of the House, asserting that the gazetted laws do not reflect what the National Assembly debated, amended, and passed. He said his three–day review of official copies from the Federal Ministry of Information revealed significant discrepancies.
“I was here, I gave my vote and it was counted, and I am seeing something completely different,” Dasuki told colleagues, adding that the situation represents a breach of the Constitution and undermines legislative authority. “This is the breach of the Constitution and our laws, and this should not be taken by this Honourable House,” he said.
Dasuki urged Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to ensure all relevant documents — including the originally harmonised bills, votes and proceedings, and the gazetted texts — are placed before the House for scrutiny.
Responding to the allegations, the House of Representatives on Thursday approved the establishment of a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged discrepancies and determine the extent of any alterations between the legislature’s versions and the gazetted laws. The panel will be chaired by Rep. Muktar Betara and has a one-week mandate to report its findings.
Speaker Abbas acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and affirmed that the House is committed to resolving the concerns raised by its members.
Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju sharply criticised the alleged alterations in a statement issued on Thursday, warning that they represent a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy. Quoting from his release, Adeyanju said that if the allegations are true, they amount to “the greatest mockery of Nigeria’s democracy since 1999.”
“In a sane constitutional democracy, the President can only assent to the exact bill passed by the legislature. Any post-passage alteration, whether by omission, addition or substitution, amounts to legislative fraud and an affront to the sovereignty of the Nigerian people,” his statement read.
Adeyanju urged the Tinubu administration to publish the authenticated version of the tax reform bill passed by the National Assembly, warning that failure to do so would deepen public distrust and undermine democratic institutions.
The Presidency has dismissed calls to suspend the tax reform laws, insisting that they are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, as planned. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described the reforms as “revolutionary” and necessary for improving Nigeria’s tax system.
Opposition groups and critics, however, argue that pushing through the reforms without broad consultation and clarity could exacerbate economic hardship for ordinary Nigerians already grappling with inflation, unemployment, and rising costs of living.
The unfolding scandal raises serious constitutional and governance questions over the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process. If the allegations are verified, legal experts say the situation could trigger court challenges and possibly even impeachment proceedings depending on the findings of the House committee and public pressure.
For now, the nation watches closely as the ad hoc panel begins its work amid intensifying public debate over transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in Nigeria’s democracy.
