A member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, has raised serious concerns over alleged discrepancies between the tax bills passed by the National Assembly and the versions later gazetted and circulated to the public.
Dasuki brought the matter to the floor during Wednesday’s plenary session under matters of privilege, insisting that his constitutional rights as a legislator had been breached. According to him, the tax laws currently being presented to Nigerians do not accurately reflect the harmonised versions approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Addressing the Speaker and fellow lawmakers, Dasuki explained that he had taken time over several days to carefully review the official gazetted copies of the newly enacted tax laws. He said he also examined the votes and proceedings of the House of Representatives, as well as those of the Senate, to confirm the final harmonised position adopted by both chambers.
“I am here today because my privilege has been breached as a member of this all-important House,” Dasuki said. “What was passed on this floor is not what is gazetted. I was present, I voted, my vote was counted, and now I am seeing something completely different.”
He alleged that certain clauses in the gazetted tax laws differed materially from what lawmakers had debated, agreed upon and passed during plenary. According to Dasuki, these discrepancies raise fundamental questions about legislative integrity and due process.
The lawmaker further claimed that the version currently in circulation, including copies reportedly being distributed through the Ministry of Information, does not represent the will of the National Assembly. He warned that allowing such a situation to stand could undermine public confidence in the legislative process and the rule of law.
Calling for immediate action, Dasuki urged the Speaker to initiate a thorough comparison between the harmonised bills passed by both chambers and the gazetted copies now in public use. He also appealed for all relevant documents to be presented before the Committee of the Whole, so lawmakers could identify the discrepancies and make the necessary corrections.
Describing the matter as a constitutional breach, Dasuki said the House must not ignore the issue. “This is a breach of the Constitution and our laws, and it should not be taken lightly by this Honourable House,” he stressed.
In response, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, assured members that the leadership would look into the allegations. He said the House would address the matter thoroughly and in the best interest of the nation, reaffirming the commitment of the legislature to transparency and constitutional governance.
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