House of Representatives Deputy Spokesperson Responds to Minority Caucus Report on Tax Law Alterations
The deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has officially responded to the interim report issued by the Minority Caucus Ad-hoc Committee concerning alleged alterations in the recently enacted Tax Reforms Acts. Agbese emphasized that the findings of the committee have been rendered obsolete by subsequent developments, particularly the release of the Certified True Copies of the legislation.
Tax Laws: What the Committee's Investigation Revealed
According to preliminary findings from the Minority Caucus Ad-hoc Committee, a thorough comparison between the Certified True Copies distributed by the House and earlier gazetted versions confirmed that unauthorized changes had indeed been made. These alterations primarily affected the Nigeria Tax Administration Act of 2025, raising significant procedural concerns.
The committee's report highlighted that at least three distinct versions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act were circulating simultaneously. Furthermore, directives to align the Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press were identified as procedural anomalies that potentially infringed upon the constitutional law-making powers of the National Assembly.
Agbese Addresses Concerns Surrounding Tax Legislation
In an interview conducted on Saturday, January 24, Agbese clarified that the leadership of the National Assembly had already taken decisive and corrective actions to address all discrepancies identified in the gazetted tax laws. He explained that under the guidance of Speaker Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen and in collaboration with Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, the authentic versions of the four tax reform Acts were publicly released.
The concerns raised regarding discrepancies in the tax laws have already been comprehensively addressed by the House leadership, Agbese stated. With the release of the Certified True Copies of the Acts, there is now clarity as to what was passed by the National Assembly and signed into law.
Agbese further noted that Speaker Tajudeen had initiated an internal verification process to ensure that only the authentic versions of the laws remain in circulation. This step, according to Agbese, demonstrates the House's unwavering commitment to transparency, due process, and the protection of democratic institutions.
Proactive Measures to Safeguard Legislative Authority
The deputy spokesperson highlighted that the joint efforts by the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly underscore a unified front in safeguarding the legislature's constitutional role. These proactive measures are designed to prevent any erosion of the National Assembly's law-making powers and to reinforce public confidence in the legislative process.
While acknowledging the right of lawmakers to raise concerns in the interest of accountability, Agbese maintained that the corrective actions already implemented make further controversy unnecessary. He assured Nigerians that the House of Representatives will continue to collaborate with the Senate and relevant institutions to strengthen legislative procedures and prevent similar issues from arising in the future.
Federal Government's Perspective on Tax Law Changes
In related developments, the federal government has previously commented on the alleged alterations in the tax laws. The Chairman of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, downplayed the impact of any changes, stating that they would not significantly affect core aspects of the tax reforms.
Oyedele explained that the alterations were minimal and did not impact fundamental elements such as tax rates, tax burdens, or filing deadlines. What I'll say to you is, the explanation we have provided about the law, because all this issue of they've altered, they've not altered, it's not even a lot, he remarked during the 2026 Economic Outlook event.
