The management of the Minority Caucus within the House of Representatives has constituted a seven-man fact-finding committee to independently examine allegations of illegal alterations to Nigeria’s newly enacted tax reform legal guidelines by components inside the government arm of presidency.
In an announcement issued on Friday and collectively signed by Minority Leader Rep. O.Ok. Chinda, Minority Whip Rt. Hon. Ali Isa J.C., PhD, Deputy Minority Leader Rt. Hon. Aliyu Madaki, and Deputy Minority Whip Rt. Hon. George Ozodinobi, the caucus described the transfer as expedient amid the lingering controversy over claims that the variations of the tax legal guidelines gazetted and set for implementation differ materially from these handed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Tinubu.
The opposition lawmakers expressed concern over the federal authorities’s willpower to begin implementation of the legal guidelines from January 1, 2026, regardless of widespread calls for for suspension pending decision of the discrepancies.
They harassed that, because the opposition bloc, they owe Nigerians an impartial and unbiased probe to determine the information and shield residents—particularly the poor and weak—from the results of imposing an allegedly altered statute.
The 4 tax reform payments—the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025—have been signed into legislation in June 2025 after months of legislative scrutiny.
While the chief has defended the reforms as crucial for streamlining income administration and easing the tax burden on low-income earners, critics have accused the method of post-assent tampering, with particular allegations pointing to the insertion of draconian enforcement clauses absent from the legislatively authorized texts.
The newly inaugurated committee, chaired by Hon. Afam Ogene, has been given seven days to conclude its task and submit findings to the caucus management.
Its members embrace Hon. Gaza Gbefwi Jonathan, Hon. MB Shehu Fagge, Hon. Aliyu Garu, Hon. Stanley Adedeji, Hon. Ibe Okwara, and Hon. Marie Ebikake.
The panel’s mandate covers acquiring authenticated copies of the legal guidelines as handed by each chambers of the National Assembly and signed by the President, securing the gazetted variations circulated by the chief, conducting a line-by-line comparability to establish any disparities, and recommending acceptable responses ought to infractions be established.
Acknowledging that members of the House are presently on recess, the caucus management urged colleagues to deal with the inquiry as a matter of pressing nationwide significance, regretting any inconvenience brought on whereas extending new yr greetings.
