NASS Orders Re-Gazetting of Tax Laws to End Discrepancy Dispute

The leadership of Nigeria’s National Assembly has moved to quell a rising storm of public distrust by ordering an immediate re-gazetting of the country’s newly enacted tax laws. Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas issued the directive to the Clerk of the National Assembly on Friday, signaling a high-stakes effort to restore the integrity of the legislative process.

The decision follows an explosive period of debate sparked by allegations that the versions of the tax laws officially published in the government gazette did not match the bills actually debated and passed on the floor of the parliament. This administrative intervention aims to synchronize the official records with the legislative intent of the lawmakers before the laws take effect in 2026.

House Spokesperson, Hon. Akin Rotimi, confirmed the development in a detailed statement, characterizing the move as a necessary measure for clarity and accuracy. According to Rotimi, the leadership’s intervention is designed to ensure that the legislative record remains beyond reproach, especially given the sensitive nature of fiscal reforms in the current economic climate.

The controversy gained significant momentum after Hon. Abdulsamman Dasuki publicly flagged discrepancies between the legislative output and the gazetted versions. His revelations triggered a wave of criticism from civil society organizations and legal experts, who questioned whether the executive or administrative arms of government had surreptitiously altered the documents after they left the chambers.

By directing the Clerk to issue Certified True Copies of the original versions passed by both houses, Akpabio and Abbas are attempting to draw a line under the scandal. The leadership insists that the re-gazetting process is a purely administrative correction intended to authenticate the true will of the National Assembly. They maintained that the exercise falls squarely within their constitutional mandate to oversee the final production of laws.

The discrepancy claims had earlier threatened to derail the momentum of the tax reform package, which has been a cornerstone of recent policy discussions. Critics argued that any mismatch between the passed bills and the gazetted laws could lead to legal challenges, making the implementation of the new tax regime impossible or legally vulnerable.

In the corridors of power, the directive is being viewed as a damage-control measure. The leadership is keen to project a sense of transparency, emphasizing that the integrity of the “voted and proceedings” must be reflected in the final law of the land. This move is also seen as a way to protect the National Assembly’s reputation from accusations of incompetence or complicity in document tampering.

Public reaction to the news has been a mix of relief and renewed scrutiny. While some see the re-gazetting as a sign of legislative accountability, others are calling for a more thorough investigation into how the discrepancies occurred in the first place. The involvement of the Clerk in this “corrective” phase places a heavy burden of proof on the administrative staff to ensure the new gazette is a flawless reflection of the floor debates.

Despite the procedural drama, the timeline for the implementation of these taxes remains unchanged. The government still intends for the new tax regime to go live in January 2026. This gives the National Assembly just over a year to ensure that the legal framework is solid, transparent, and free from the clerical errors that have defined the current controversy.

The statement from the House spokesperson reiterated that the leadership remains committed to the rule of law. By ordering the issuance of Certified True Copies, the National Assembly is essentially creating a definitive legal reference point that can be used to resolve any future disputes regarding the tax provisions.

As the administrative process unfolds, all eyes remain on the Clerk’s office. The successful re-gazetting of these laws will be a litmus test for the National Assembly’s internal checks and balances. For now, the leadership hopes that this proactive step will de-escalate the tension and provide the “clarity and accuracy” needed to move forward with the nation’s fiscal agenda.

The situation highlights the complex journey a bill takes from the floor of parliament to the official gazette. It serves as a reminder that even after the symbolic bang of the gavel, the fight for the “final word” in Nigerian lawmaking is often fought in the quiet offices of the bureaucracy.