Opposition Reps Seek Suspension Of Tax Laws Implementation

The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has called on the federal government to suspend the implementation of the tax laws until the conclusion of investigations, clarity and certainty of the law to be implemented.

LEADERSHIP reports that the House of Representatives was probing the alleged discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the gazetted versions.

The minority caucus expressed full support to the entire House to unravel the circumstances surrounding the alleged illegality and ensuring that culprits were brought to book in the interest of justice for all Nigerians.

The opposition lawmakers stated this in a statement on Monday jointly signed by the minority leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda; minority whip, Hon. Ali Isa J.C; deputy minority leader, Hon. Aliyu Madaki and deputy minority whip, Hon. George Ozodinobi.

The lawmakers expressed disappointment with the current storm brewing over the tax reform acts that were duly passed by the National Assembly and properly signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

“Ordinarily, the controversy will have been dismissed as needless, but the gravity of the cause of the controversy is an issue of great concern to all Nigerians, especially since it borders on the accusations of unlawful alterations to the laws as passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently signed by the President.

“We are also aware that this issue has been raised by a member of the House of Representatives during one of our recent plenaries, following which the House inaugurated a high-powered committee to investigate the allegations made by the member that the tax laws have been fraudulently altered, gazetted and the altered copy circulated to the public.

“We are aware of the legitimate procedures towards the gazetting of laws, and it starts with the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA) transmitting the actual copies of the laws to the relevant federal agency that gazettes all government documents, which means, the National Assembly is always the custodian of the genuine documents of the laws of the federation that have been passed, and, therefore, we will always make sure that it is the truth that prevails in moments of controversy such as this,” the statement stated.

The lawmakers called on Nigerians to disregard any purported tax laws being circulated without the signature of the CNA and President Tinubu.

According to them, such did not originate from the National Assembly and neither do they reflect the true character of what were actually passed by the Legislature and signed by the President.

“Any attempt to foist fake laws on Nigerians is an attack on the independence and constitutional role of the National Assembly in safeguarding our democracy, and the Caucus will unconditionally protect the independence of the Legislature and our democracy.

“Consequently, we call on the government to suspend the implementation of the tax laws until investigations are concluded and there is clarity and certainty of the law to be implemented.

“Moreover, Nigerians and the business community are entitled to copies of the laws,” the statement added.