The deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese (APC, Benue), has rejected claims by Borno South Senator Ali Ndume that the recently enacted tax laws were falsified, describing the allegations as “sheer mischief.”
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Agbese said the claims were misleading and capable of sowing unnecessary tension and distrust in the legislature. He emphasised that all due legislative processes were followed and that concerns over the laws have been addressed through established institutional mechanisms.
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Mr Ndume, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, said there were discrepancies in the tax reform laws signed by President Bola Tinubu, accusing the federal government of treating Nigerians with levity.
He spoke on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television, in response to the growing controversy surrounding the newly enacted tax legislation.
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Mr Ndume was responding to comments made earlier on Wednesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, in which he dismissed claims that the tax laws contained inconsistencies.
Mr Akpabio had described the allegations as misleading and insisted that the new tax laws were not adulterated, contrary to public perception.
However, Mr Ndume faulted the Senate president’s position, saying the real concern was not merely whether discrepancies existed, but the lack of openness in handling the matter.
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“My problem is not whether there are discrepancies or not; I am worried about doing things behind closed doors. This is government of the people, for the people, and by the people,” he said.
“And for God’s sake, why would you hide anything, even if it is personal? I’m surprised that the Senate president said there’s no adulteration. He’s not supposed to do that. He’s supposed to say, ‘Okay, we’ll find out.’ Set up a committee because the House of Representatives has done that too, to find out.”
Mr Ndume said the leadership of the National Assembly should address the issue transparently, adding that lawmakers were entitled to express dissenting views without being labelled rebels or accused of undermining the institution.
Reacting to the senator’s allegations, Mr Agbese said it was wrong for anyone to suggest that the National Assembly altered or concealed provisions of the tax laws, stressing that both chambers were committed to transparency and accountability.
He urged Nigerians not to politicise or sensationalise the matter, noting that legislative review mechanisms exist to address genuine errors or ambiguities where they exist.
“It is sheer mischief to suggest the tax laws were falsified,” Mr Agbese said, adding that lawmakers should focus on constructive engagement rather than speculative narratives that could distract from efforts to reform Nigeria’s tax system in the public interest.
How the controversy started
The dispute over the tax Acts erupted in mid-December 2025 when a member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), raised a matter of privilege on the floor of the chamber.
Mr Dasuki said he had compared copies of the tax reform laws passed by the National Assembly with the versions gazetted and released to the public, and found notable differences, a situation he warned could undermine legislative integrity.
The four key laws at the centre of the controversy are the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025, all of which came into force on 1 January.
Committees, certified true copies and competing reports
In response to the discrepancies raised by Mr Dasuki, the House set up a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate how unauthorised versions of the tax laws came into circulation and whether any alterations occurred outside the legislative process.
As part of efforts to quell the controversy, the House released Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the four tax Acts, including the endorsement and assent pages signed by Mr Tinubu, to the public for verification and reference. The release was directed by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and intended to clarify the official texts and dispel doubts about authenticity.
Separately, the House Minority Caucus, led by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), constituted its own committee to conduct a parallel review of the tax laws.
That panel, which submitted its interim report on 23 January, said it identified discrepancies between the Acts passed by the National Assembly and the versions gazetted by the federal government.
However, the House, through its spokesperson Akin Rotimi, rejected the Minority Caucus report, insisting that the official ad hoc investigative committee had not yet concluded its assignment and that its findings should take precedence over interim assertions.
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