Tax Reform Controversy: Speaker Abbas Releases Certified Copies of Four Tinubu-Signed Tax Acts to Nigerians

Follow

( 0 Followers )

X

Follow

E-mail : *

Follow Unfollow

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has ordered the public release of the four landmark tax reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a decisive move to address growing concerns over alleged alterations and the circulation of unauthorised versions of the laws.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja signed by its spokesman, Rep. Akintunde Rotim, the House confirmed that the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the Acts — complete with endorsement and presidential assent pages — have been made available to Nigerians for public record, verification, and reference.

The move, carried out in collaboration with Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, followed public outcry and claims that multiple, conflicting versions of the tax laws were in circulation.

Speaker Abbas said the release underscores the National Assembly’s commitment to transparency, legislative integrity, and public trust.

According to the House, the matter came to light after a vigilant lawmaker noticed discrepancies in circulating documents and raised the issue on a point of privilege.

The Speaker immediately ordered an internal verification process and directed the release of the certified laws to eliminate doubt and protect the credibility of the legislative process.

From the outset of the tax reform initiative, Speaker Abbas was said to have overseen extensive stakeholder engagements, committee reviews, clause-by-clause scrutiny, and robust debates on the floor of the House to ensure the reforms aligned with Nigeria’s fiscal realities and development goals.

The four Acts released are:
Nigeria Tax Act, 2025
Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025
National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025
Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025
The legislations form the core of Nigeria’s new tax reform framework, aimed at modernising revenue administration, improving compliance, eliminating duplication, and strengthening fiscal coordination across federal, state, and local governments.

Speaking on the development, Speaker Abbas stressed that the National Assembly operates as an institution of records governed by strict constitutional and parliamentary procedures.

“The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory. Every Bill, amendment, and Act follows a traceable constitutional pathway. Once a law is passed and assented to, its integrity is preserved through certification and custody by the legislature,” he said.

He further warned that only the versions certified and released by the National Assembly should be regarded as authentic, urging Nigerians to disregard any unauthorised documents in circulation.

To ensure uniformity and accuracy, the Clerk to the National Assembly has aligned the certified Acts with the Federal Government Printing Press, while hard copies have been distributed to lawmakers and made accessible to the public.

Meanwhile, the House disclosed that its Ad-Hoc Committee, chaired by Rt. Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, is continuing investigations into how the unauthorised versions emerged, with a mandate to recommend safeguards to prevent future occurrences.

The House of Representatives reaffirmed its commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, transparency, and accountable governance, pledging to strengthen internal controls and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process.