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Three tax laws in circulation – Reps *Say, alterations, executive rascality
Executive rascality cannot be discountenanced in the alteration of the new tax laws passed by the National Assembly last year, the House of Representatives, said on Friday, as it claims that there are at least three versions of the document currently in circulation.
Victor Afam Ogene, spokesman of the House Minority Caucus, who initially unveiled the discovery of “illegal” alterations in the gazetted copies of the tax reform laws, earlier in the day, upped the ante later in the night, attributing the move to “overzealousness and executive rascality.”
A guest on News Night, a late night programme on ARISE NEWS Television, told his host that there were actually three versions of the document as a result of the decision of some people in the executive branch of government to tamper with the clean copy passed by the National Assembly.
Hear him: “You can easily point to overzealousness by some officials on the executive side, which in summary you could tag as executive rascality. A lot of times people think that when you bring executive bills, the bills should return to you as was sent.
“Then we should simply be – I don’t want to use rubberstamp – we cannot be garbage in garbage out. That is why 360 of us sit in that assembly, and there are processes in law-making – first reading – second reading – public hearings – then it comes back to the committee of the whole and then harmonisation between the House and the Senate and then the Clerk of the House prepares a clean-copy that is sent to the President.
“In doing so, ensure that it is what is passed by the National Assembly. This tax law went through all these processes. It is the duty of the executive to publish the gazzetted law. The Nigerian Printing Press is under the Federal Ministry of Information. So, it is their remit to publish the laws.”
Ogene, Chairman of the seven-member committee set up by the caucus to probe the alleged alterations, had initially raised the alarm about the alteration while submitting the interim report based on an initial signal by Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the House on December 17, last year to that effect.
On December 17, Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the lower legislative chamber, alleged that there are differences between the tax laws passed by parliament and the gazetted copy available to the public.
The alleged alteration sparked public outrage, with some Nigerians calling for a suspension of the implementation of the laws.
On December 16, the leadership of the senate and house of representatives directed Kamoru Ogunlana, clerk of the national assembly, to work with relevant agencies in the executive branch in a bid to re-gazette the tax laws.
The tax laws are the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025; and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025.
On January 3, the green chamber released the gazetted copy of the tax laws for public scrutiny.
‘ILLEGAL ALTERATIONS’
Ogene said the directive of the leadership of the red and green chambers to the clerk to “take steps to align” the Acts passed by the parliament with the federal government printing press to ensure accuracy, conformity, and uniformity is a “clear indication that there were some procedural anomalies in the previously gazetted version that illegally encroached on the core mandate of the national assembly”.
The lawmaker said Kingsley Chinda, minority leader of the house, constituted a committee on January 2 to thoroughly investigate the “scandal.”
He said the committee comprises lawmakers from the six geopolitical zones — Aliyu Garu (Bauchi), Stanley Adedeji (Oyo), Ibe Osonwa (Abia), Marie Ebikake (Bayelsa), Shehu Fagge (Kano), and Gaza Jonathan (Nasarawa).
Ogene said preliminary findings, based on a comparison of the certified true copies (CTCs) released by the house and the gazetted copies, indicated that the laws were altered.
“There were three different versions of the documents in circulation, particularly the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025,” the statement reads.
“The Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), 2025, has a number of discrepancies from the version passed by the National Assembly and the version earlier published in the official gazette. These discrepancies are obvious, going by the released Certified True Copies (CTCs) by the House referenced earlier.”
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He said under section 29(1), the version certified by the national assembly set the tax compliance reporting threshold at N50 million for individuals and N100 million for companies, but the gazetted copy lowered the threshold for individuals to N25 million and altered the threshold for companies.
“This is a clear case of the executive undermining legislative powers by illegally altering an already passed law to drag more taxpayers into the net,” the legislator said.
In section 41, Ogene said the gazetted version introduced new subsections 41(8) and 41(9), which require taxpayers to deposit 20 percent of the disputed tax amount as a condition for appealing decisions of the tax appeal tribunal to the high court.
Ogene said the provisions were not included in the version passed by the national assembly.
He said in section 64, the gazetted law “illegally increased the powers of the tax authority to include the power to arrest individuals suspected of tax violations through law enforcement agencies, and allowed for the sale of seized assets without a court order”.
Ogene said in section 3(1)(b), the version certified by the national assembly defined federal taxes to include income tax, petroleum income tax, stamp duties, and VAT, but the gazetted copy removed petroleum income tax and VAT from the definition of taxes administered by the federal government.
“We consider this an affront to the exclusive powers of the national assembly to make laws,” he said.
The lawmaker said section 39(3) of the gazetted law was “illegally altered” to mandate that tax computations for petroleum operations be carried out in US dollars, contrary to the version passed by the national assembly, which provided that tax calculations be done in the currency of the transaction.
In sections 30(1)(d) and 30(3) of the National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, Ogene said the version passed by the national assembly empowered lawmakers to summon officials, demand reports, and enforce accountability in line with their constitutional oversight role.
The lawmaker said the gazetted version deleted the provisions requiring quarterly and annual reports to parliament, describing it as a disregard for the national assembly and the doctrine of checks and balances.
“Given the anomalies, illegalities, and impunity observed, which clearly undermine the national assembly’s constitutional powers and democracy, the committee finds the current evidence sufficient to warrant a deeper investigation,” Ogene said.
“This will ensure accountability for the affront against the legislature. To achieve this, the Committee respectfully requests an extension to conduct a more thorough examination of the matter.”
No candidate was imposed neither was any member barred from participating in the process, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said on Thursday, which defending the integrity of the exercise, which ended on May 29.
In a statement by Ikenna Enekweizu, National Secretary, party said that all aspirants were given a fair opportunity to participate in the democratic process, adding that the selection process was driven by consultation, consensus-building, and stakeholder engagement through established leadership structures across the country.
Stressing that its National Secretariat was never involved in the business of picking, choosing, or imposing candidates on any constituency or state, contrary to allegations that have emerged following the conclusion of the primaries, the statement added: “At no time has the NDC National Secretariat been involved in the business of picking, choosing, or imposing candidates on any constituency or state.
“Aspirants seeking elective positions were directed to engage with caucus leaders, stakeholders, and grassroots members in their respective states, who were responsible for consultations and recommendations based on local political realities. In the South-East geopolitical zone, our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, joined the party with an existing network of respected political leaders and elder statesmen who currently serve as caucus heads across the region.
“These include former governors and senior political figures such as Sam Egwu, Okwesilieze Nwodo, and Achike Udenwa, among others. The party explained that these leaders were tasked with conducting stakeholder consultations and helping build consensus around aspirants in their respective states.
“These leaders were entrusted with conducting stakeholder consultations, building consensus, and making recommendations to the party based on their understanding of the peculiar political dynamics in their respective states.
“Aspirants who disagreed with stakeholder recommendations were not excluded from the process but were allowed to test their popularity through grassroots primaries. This process was conducted without prejudice to the rights of any aspirant. Where aspirants disagreed with recommendations made by stakeholders or caucus leaders, they were free to test their popularity through the democratic process at the grassroots level, and this was duly accommodated,” the party said.
Addressing concerns raised by some aspirants following the primaries, the NDC acknowledged reports of individuals prematurely declaring themselves candidates as well as complaints regarding aspects of the process.
However, it maintained that such issues had been referred to the party’s appeal panel and leadership for resolution.
The statement also highlighted the party’s commitment to affirmative action and greater female participation in politics, noting that efforts had been made to encourage women to seek elective offices while also considering the interests of serving lawmakers.
Looking ahead, the NDC announced plans to begin a broad reconciliation process aimed at healing divisions and strengthening party unity after the conclusion of the primaries.
“As resolved at yesterday’s NEC meeting, we now look forward to the commencement of a comprehensive reconciliation process. We count on our esteemed caucus leaders, state chairmen, stakeholders, and party leaders to engage all aspirants and members in the interest of unity, cohesion, and the continued growth of our party.”
The party reiterated that its role throughout the nomination process was primarily to welcome new members and aspirants, reassure them of its commitment to fairness and transparency, and direct them to the appropriate caucus structures for participation in party affairs.
According to the NDC, the approach reflects its commitment to internal democracy, consultation, inclusiveness, and respect for established leadership structures as it continues preparations for future elections.
Idi Abbas, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), on Friday, prayed for a legislation to establish a special court to try those caught in the business of stealing crude oil in Nigeria, saying the current general law was not too helpful in stemming the tide.
It was also a day he claimed that the powerful forces behind the syndicate had a way of projecting fronts while remaining behind the scene, which made it almost impossible to track them to face justice.
In fact, Abbas, a Vice Admiral, revealed that the operation was so perfect that those arrested at illegal refining sites were usually low-level operatives with little knowledge of the larger criminal network.
A guest on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, the Naval Chief noted that many of those apprehended during operations are merely workers paid small sums, adding that such a complex structure of oil theft syndicates made it difficult to identify and prosecute the individuals who orchestrate the criminal enterprise.
“Most of the faces behind these thefts are not really known or are not the ones we always catch. The ones we get at most of the illegal refinery sites are just being given some paltry sum, while the big masquerades are the ones that make the real money. Prosecuting suspects is often complicated by the fact that many of those arrested have little or no information about the people directing the operations.
“In trying to prosecute some of these people that we get, some of them don’t even know who they are working for. So, the network is a very delicate one.
“But despite the challenges the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies are continually refining their strategies to counter the evolving tactics of oil thieves. As they are evolving strategies, we are also evolving new strategies. Like I keep saying, technology is the way forward. With that, we have been able to reduce the level of theft.”
Stating that the adoption of technology-driven surveillance, intelligence gathering and monitoring systems had significantly enhanced efforts to curb crude oil theft and protect critical national assets, he reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Navy to sustaining operations against oil theft, stressing that collaboration among security agencies, stakeholders and host communities remains essential to safeguarding the nation’s oil resources.
The naval boss while assuring that Nigeria’s coastal and riverine communities are relatively safe, said the Nigerian Navy had made significant progress in reducing threats along the coast, particularly illegal oil-related activities and sea robbery.
“As it stands today, I can say that our coastal areas and the riverine areas are relatively safe. While crude oil theft and isolated cases of sea robbery remain areas of concern, the Navy has been largely successful in containing such activities through intensified surveillance and enforcement operations.
Hear him: “What we are contending with mostly there is the issue of crude oil theft and some pockets of sea robbery, which we are able to curtail. There is need for the establishment of a special court dedicated to prosecuting maritime crimes.
“This court will focus exclusively on cases involving crude oil theft and other maritime-related offences, helping to address delays associated with the conventional judicial process. The establishment of such a court would significantly accelerate the dispensation of justice and reduce the burden currently placed on the Navy in maintaining seized vessels and other exhibits pending the conclusion of lengthy court processes.
“If we have that in place, I believe the dispensation of justice will be done much faster and then ease the burden of keeping and maintaining some of the arrested vessels, which will be taken off from us because we spend a lot to maintain those vessels under our custody.”
Nigeria is considering refinancing some of its expensive debt obligations and raising fresh funding to bridge its budget deficit, buoyed by improved investor confidence and elevated crude oil prices triggered by tensions in the Middle East.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed that the federal government was looking to take advantage of favourable market conditions to restructure costly legacy debt and secure additional financing for development projects.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg TV, Oyedele said the current environment presented a unique opportunity for Nigeria to improve its debt profile while mobilising resources to support economic growth.
“We think that this timing is good for us to be able to maybe even refinance some of our expensive past debts, but also to raise more funding for our development at this critical time. You don’t know what happens tomorrow. But as of today, market conditions are actually very good,” he pointed out.
The renewed optimism stems largely from the sharp rise in crude oil prices following the conflict involving Iran, which has boosted the fortunes of oil-producing countries outside the Middle East, including Nigeria.
Higher oil prices have strengthened Nigeria’s external earnings position and improved investor perception of the country’s creditworthiness. The premium demanded by investors to hold Nigerian dollar-denominated bonds over comparable United States Treasury securities has fallen significantly, reflecting growing confidence in the economy.
Despite improvements in government revenue, Oyedele noted that Nigeria still faces a budget deficit of about N30 trillion this year, necessitating the search for additional financing sources.
The minister explained that the government was keeping its financing options open, including access to concessional loans from multilateral institutions. “We’re keeping our options open, we know the size of the deficit, including less-costly concessionary loans,” he said.
According to him, discussions are ongoing with the World Bank and other development finance institutions, while reforms implemented by the Bola Tinubu administration have continued to attract investor interest.
The government has undertaken a number of reforms since assuming office in May 2023, including fuel subsidy removal, tax policy changes, foreign exchange reforms and efforts to improve fiscal revenues.
However, while rising oil prices have boosted government earnings, they have also contributed to inflationary pressures globally, complicating monetary policy decisions and increasing the cost of delivering critical infrastructure and social services.
The US-Israeli war on Iran has pushed the price of Brent crude up as much as 63 per cent this year, creating an opportunity for producers outside the Middle East like Nigeria, while the premium investors demand to hold Nigerian dollar bonds rather than US Treasuries has fallen 80 basis points since the start of the war to 262, the lowest in more than a decade.
Meanwhile, Nigeria may face fresh trade headwinds from the United States after the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposed imposing an additional 12.5 per cent tariff on Nigerian exports over concerns relating to alleged forced labour regulations.
The proposal forms part of action targeting 60 economies under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, following investigations into what Washington described as inadequate measures by several trading partners to combat forced labour in international supply chains.
In a statement issued by the USTR, Nigeria was listed among 54 economies found to have “failed to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.” As a result, the agency proposed additional duties on products originating from the affected countries.
The agency explained that countries with existing forced labour import prohibitions or those that have committed to implementing such measures through trade agreements would face a lower tariff of 10 per cent.
However, countries categorised as having no effective prohibition regime, including Nigeria, could be subjected to a 12.5 per cent additional duty should the proposal be adopted.
U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, said the failure of major trading partners to adequately address the importation of goods produced with forced labour created unfair competition for American workers and businesses.
“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable. This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” Greer said.
He added that while some countries had taken initial steps to curb the importation of forced labour goods, much more needed to be done to eliminate the practice from global supply chains.
The USTR argued that the failure of the affected economies to establish and enforce effective forced labour import prohibitions undermines global efforts to eradicate forced labour, distorts market competition and disadvantages firms that comply with acceptable labour standards.
According to the agency, such practices burden U.S. commerce by exposing American producers to unfair competition and facilitating the circumvention of existing forced labour restrictions.
Aside from Nigeria, other impacted countries include: Algeria; Angola; Argentina; Australia; the Bahamas; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Brazil; Cambodia; Chile; China, People’s Republic of; Colombia; Costa Rica; Dominican Republic; Egypt; El Salvador; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Hong Kong, China; India; Iraq; Israel; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kuwait; Libya; Malaysia and Morocco.
Others include: New Zealand; Nicaragua; Norway; Oman; Peru; the Philippines; Qatar; Russia; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; South Africa; South Korea; Sri Lanka; Switzerland; Taiwan; Thailand; Trinidad and Tobago; Türkiye; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; Uruguay; Venezuela; and Vietnam.
Culled from ARISE NEWS
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