The Minority members of the House of Representatives have asked the Federal Government to stop the implementation of the new tax laws.
They said the government should not go ahead with the tax laws until an investigation is completed.
This is because there are claims that the laws were changed after the National Assembly passed them.
The lawmakers said a special committee set up by the House is already investigating the issue. They want the government to wait until the committee finishes its work and Nigerians are sure of the correct version of the laws.
The four tax laws are expected to take effect on January 1, 2026, but there is controversy over claims that the original laws approved by lawmakers were later altered.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minority Caucus said the situation is worrying and raises serious legal and constitutional questions.
The statement was signed by the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, and other Minority leaders.
The caucus said the main issue is that the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Bola Tinubu may have been changed before they were officially published and shared with the public.
They said if this is true, it would damage the lawmaking process and the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy.
The Minority lawmakers assured Nigerians that they would work with the House to uncover the truth and punish anyone found guilty.
They explained that only the National Assembly can send the correct copies of laws for official publication. Therefore, Nigerians should ignore any version of the tax laws that does not carry the signatures of the Clerk of the National Assembly and the President.
They warned that circulating fake laws is an attack on the powers of the National Assembly and democracy.
The caucus therefore asked the Federal Government to suspend the tax laws until the investigation is completed and the correct versions are made public.
They also said Nigerians and businesses deserve to see the exact laws they are expected to follow.
The Minority members called on President Tinubu to listen to their concerns and act in the interest of democracy.