The House of Representatives has set up a seven-member ad-hoc committee to investigate claims that tax bills passed by lawmakers differ from the versions that were assented to and officially gazetted.
The development followed a Point of Privilege raised by Sokoto State lawmaker Abdulsammad Dasuki, who alleged that the publicly released tax laws did not reflect what the National Assembly had debated and approved.
Muktar Aliyu Betara, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, will lead the committee. Other members include former Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, Sada Soli, James Abiodun Faleke, Fred Agbedi, Babajimi Benson, and Iduma Igariwey.
The committee’s task is to review the legislative process behind the gazetting of the tax laws and determine whether the final documents differ from the versions passed by both chambers.
Speaking under Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules, Dasuki said his legislative privilege had been breached, noting that the content of the gazetted laws was materially different from what lawmakers voted on.
He explained that he spent three days comparing the gazetted copies with the Votes and Proceedings of the House and the harmonised versions approved by both chambers, uncovering inconsistencies.
“I was here, I gave my vote and it was counted, and I am seeing something completely different,” Dasuki said, adding that copies obtained from the Ministry of Information did not match what had been approved.
Dasuki emphasized that his concern was to alert the House to what he described as a serious breach of legislative procedure and constitutional provisions. He urged the Speaker to make all relevant documents—including the harmonised versions, Votes and Proceedings, and gazetted copies—available for review by all lawmakers.
He warned that circulating laws that differ from those passed by the National Assembly would undermine the legislature’s credibility.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas acknowledged the Point of Privilege and assured members that the matter would be addressed. The ad-hoc committee is expected to clarify the controversy and preserve the integrity of the legislative process.
