Isaac Samuel, Abuja
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has demanded the suspension of the implementation of recently enacted tax reform laws, amid allegations that the legislations were unlawfully altered after passage by the National Assembly and assent by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The caucus in a statement on Monday, said the controversy surrounding the tax laws raises serious constitutional and legal concerns that must be addressed in the interest of transparency, public trust and the rule of law.
The statement was signed by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda; Minority Whip, Ali Isa, Deputy Minority Leader, Aliyu Madaki; and Deputy Minority Whip, George Ozodinobi.
The lawmakers disclosed that the issue was raised on the floor of the House during a recent plenary, leading to the constitution of a high-powered committee to investigate claims that the laws were fraudulently altered, gazetted and circulated to the public.
According to the Minority Caucus, the National Assembly remains the custodian of authentic copies of all laws passed by the legislature, stressing that established procedure requires the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) to transmit final versions of laws for gazetting.
The Caucus said, “We have noted with great consternation and an overwhelming sense of disappointment the current storm brewing over the Tax Reform laws that were duly passed by the National Assembly and properly signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“Ordinarily, the controversy will have been dismissed as needless, but the gravity of the cause of the controversy is an issue of great concern to all Nigerians, especially since it borders on the accusations of unlawful alterations to the laws as passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently signed by the President.
“We are also aware that this issue has been raised by a member of the House of Representatives during one of our recent plenaries, following which the House innugurated a high-powered committee to investigate the allegations made by the member that the tax laws have been fraudulently altered, gazetted and the altered copy circulated to the public.
“As such, we want to assure Nigerians that the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives, will stand with the entire House to see that the circumstances surrounding this illegality is exposed and the culprits brought to book in the interest of justice for all Nigerians.
The caucus urged Nigerians to disregard any versions of the tax laws in circulation that do not bear the signatures of the Clerk to the National Assembly and the President, warning that such documents did not emanate from the parliament and do not reflect what was duly passed.
The lawmakers further argued that Nigerians and the business community are entitled to clarity and certainty regarding the laws they are expected to obey, noting that enforcement should not proceed until investigations are concluded.
“We therefore call on Nigerians to disregard any purported tax laws being circulated without the signature of the CNA and the President and Commander in Chief, such did not originate from the National Assembly, and neither do they reflect the true character of what were actually passed by the Legislature and signed by the President.
“Any attempt to foist fake laws on Nigerians is an attack on the independence and constitutional role of the National Assembly in safeguarding our democracy, and the Caucus will unconditionally protect the independence of the Legislature and our democracy”, the lawmakers said.
