Tax Bill Controversy: Claims of falsification ‘sheer mischief’ — Reps Deputy Spokesperson
By Gift ChapiOdekina
The House of Representatives has dismissed allegations that the recently passed tax laws were falsified, describing the claims as misleading and capable of undermining public confidence in the legislature.
Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese, made the clarification during an interview on Sunday in Abuja while reacting to assertions by Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) that discrepancies existed between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the version assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Agbese described the allegations as “sheer mischief,” insisting that due legislative processes were followed and that there was no attempt by the National Assembly to alter or conceal provisions of the tax legislation.
“It is sheer mischief to suggest that the tax laws were falsified,” Agbese said. “It is wrong for anyone to insinuate that the National Assembly engaged in legislative fraud. Both chambers remain committed to transparency, accountability, and due process.”
The House deputy spokesperson noted that concerns surrounding the tax legislation had already been addressed institutionally, stressing that the House had proactively constituted a committee to examine the issues raised.
According to him, claims of a cover-up were unfounded and risked creating unnecessary tension and distrust among Nigerians.
“The matter should not be politicised or sensationalised. Legislative review mechanisms exist to address genuine errors or ambiguities where they occur. Nigerians should not be misled into thinking that lawmakers are acting in bad faith,” he said.
Agbese’s comments followed criticisms by Senator Ndume, who faulted Senate President Godswill Akpabio for dismissing allegations of inconsistencies in the newly passed tax law. Ndume had claimed during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time that there were at least two versions of the gazetted tax law, arguing that the version the President signed differed from the one passed by the National Assembly.
The senator said he had drawn the attention of Senate leadership to the alleged discrepancies and accused the Senate President of failing to institute a probe into the matter.
However, Agbese maintained that the leadership of both chambers had already taken steps to clarify the situation, including making the original bills available to the public.
Speaking on the status of the House committee set up to review the tax legislation, the deputy spokesperson said no report had been submitted so far.
“The clarification made by both the Speaker of the House and the Senate President, wherein the original bills were released to the public, supersedes every other finding. To my knowledge, the committee’s report has not yet been submitted,” he said.
Agbese warned that speculative narratives could distract from ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s tax system in the overall public interest, urging stakeholders to rely on facts rather than conjecture in engaging the issue.
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