THE Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the newly enacted tax reform laws, following allegations that the laws were altered after being passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The tax reforms, which previously faced strong resistance from lawmakers in northern Nigeria, are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.
The call for suspension comes despite assurances from the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, who last week insisted that the implementation date remains unchanged.
According to Oyedele, the reforms are aimed at easing the tax burden on Nigerians and stimulating economic growth.
He explained that about 98 per cent of workers would either pay no Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax or enjoy reduced rates, while 97 per cent of small businesses would be exempt from Corporate Income Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), and Withholding Tax.
He stated large businesses would also benefit from lower tax obligations. The reforms, he said, are designed to promote inclusivity, economic expansion, and shared prosperity.
However, Oyedele acknowledged the concerns raised by the National Assembly over the alleged alterations and said the Federal Government was willing to collaborate with lawmakers to address the issues, including those raised by opposition figures.
In a statement jointly signed by Minority Leader O.K. Chinda, Minority Whip Ali Isa J.C, Deputy Minority Leader Aliyu Madaki, and Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi, the caucus urged the government to halt implementation until ongoing investigations are concluded.
The lawmakers stressed that Nigerians and the business community have a right to access authentic copies of the laws they are expected to comply with.
They assured the public that the Minority Caucus would work with the entire House to ensure that any alleged illegal alterations in the gazetted versions of the tax laws are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
According to the statement, while the tax reform laws were duly passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President, the seriousness of the allegations surrounding unlawful alterations cannot be ignored.
The caucus noted that a member of the House had raised the issue during plenary, prompting the inauguration of a high-powered committee to investigate claims that the laws were fraudulently altered before being gazetted and circulated.
The Minority Caucus emphasized that the National Assembly remains the custodian of all authentic laws passed by the legislature, as the process of gazetting laws begins with the Clerk of the National Assembly transmitting certified copies to the appropriate federal agency.
It warned Nigerians to disregard any tax laws circulating without the signatures of the Clerk of the National Assembly and the President, stating that such documents do not reflect the laws legitimately passed by Parliament.
The caucus described any attempt to impose fake or altered laws on Nigerians as an attack on the independence of the legislature and a threat to democracy, vowing to protect the constitutional role of the National Assembly.
The controversy intensified after Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives, raised concerns about discrepancies between the versions of the tax laws passed by lawmakers and those later gazetted.
Dasuki argued that lawmakers’ legislative rights may have been violated, noting that the harmonised and certified copies of the bills sent to the President were not readily available for verification.
President Tinubu signed four major tax reform bills into law, marking what the government has described as the most significant overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.
The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, all to be administered under a unified authority known as the Nigeria Revenue Service.
The reforms are expected to take effect on January 1, 2026, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigations.