HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ADDRESSES TAX REFORM ACTS GAZETTE CONTROVERSY, ORDERS RE-GAZETTING

The House of Representatives has broken its silence on the growing controversy surrounding the legislative process of four major tax reform Acts, assuring the public that the matters are being addressed within the constitutional remit of the National Assembly. In a statement, the House Spokesman and Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Akin Rotimi, disclosed that an Ad Hoc Committee has been constituted to review the circumstances.

The statement follows public commentary on issues concerning the harmonisation of Bills, documentation for Presidential assent, and the versions of the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, published in the Official Gazette.

Rotimi confirmed that the leadership of the National Assembly, under Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to re-gazette the Acts and issue Certified True Copies of the versions duly passed by both Chambers. “This administrative step is intended solely to authenticate and accurately reflect the legislative decisions of the National Assembly,” Rotimi stated in the statement.

He emphasized that the ongoing institutional review, being conducted by the Ad Hoc Committee alongside other relevant Committees, aims to establish the sequence of events and identify any contributing factors, including a careful examination of any lapses, irregularities, or external interferences. The House Spokesman stressed that the review is strictly confined to institutional processes and does not imply any defect in the exercise of legislative authority.

“The House of Representatives, under the leadership of the Speaker, remains firmly committed to the principles of constitutionalism, separation of powers, due process, and the supremacy of the rule of law,” Akin Rotimi affirmed. He further urged the public to allow the National Assembly’s processes to proceed without speculation, noting that appropriate corrective measures will be taken if procedural refinements are identified.

Concluding the statement, Rotimi reiterated the House’s commitment to transparency and accountability as the custodian of the legislative authority of Nigeria.