The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the Tax Reform Laws amid allegations that the legislations were unlawfully altered after being passed by the National Assembly. The caucus expressed deep concern over what it described as a troubling controversy surrounding the laws, which were duly passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It said the allegations of post-passage alterations were too serious to be ignored, as they strike at the heart of legislative integrity and democratic governance. In a statement by the Minority Leader of the House, Hon Kingsley Chinda, alongside the Minority Whip, Hon. Ali Isa, Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Aliyu Madaki and Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. George Ozodinobi, the caucus noted that the matter was raised during a recent plenary session, leading to the constitution of a high-powered investigative committee by the House.

The Minority Caucus said it would stand with the entire House of Representatives to ensure that the circumstances surrounding the alleged alterations are fully uncovered and that those found culpable are brought to justice in the interest of transparency and the rule of law. It explained that under established procedures, the Clerk to the National Assembly transmits authentic copies of duly passed laws to the appropriate government agency for gazetting, stressing that the National Assembly remains the lawful custodian of all genuine legislative documents. The caucus urged Nigerians to disregard any version of the tax laws circulating without the signatures of the Clerk to the National Assembly and the President, noting that such documents did not originate from the legislature and did not reflect the laws passed and assented to.

According to the lawmakers, any attempt to foist altered or fake laws on Nigerians amounts to an attack on the independence of the National Assembly and a threat to democratic governance. Consequently, the Minority Caucus called on the Federal Government to halt the implementation of the Tax Reform Laws pending the conclusion of investigations and the establishment of clarity on the authentic version of the legislation.