Amid the ongoing controversy regarding alleged discrepancies in Nigeria’s gazetted tax laws, the National Assembly has ordered the re-gazetting of the tax laws and the issuance of Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the versions duly passed by both chambers.

The legislative arm said this is part of an ongoing institutional review of the legislative process.

Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, said that the directive was jointly issued by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, in the interest of clarity, accuracy and the integrity of the legislative record.

According to the House, the Clerk to the National Assembly has been mandated not only to re-gazette the Acts but also to issue Certified True Copies of the authenticated versions passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The laws in question 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.

The development follows revelations that provisions contained in the gazetted versions of the Acts differ materially from those passed by the National Assembly.

The alarm was first raised by a member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki, who during a plenary session alleged discrepancies between tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions subsequently gazetted and made available to the public.

He said his legislative rights had been breached because the content of the gazetted tax laws did not reflect what lawmakers debated and approved on the floor of the House.

The tax bills were passed by the House in February after months of debates, public hearings, and clause-by-clause consideration, and were later harmonised with the version passed by the Senate.

On 26 June, President Bola Tinubu signed the four bills into law.

This triggered the House to establish a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged discrepancies.

The committee is headed by Aliyu Betara, while members include Idris Wase, Sada Soli, Adedeji Faleke, Igariwey Iduma, Fred Agbedi and Babajimi Benson.

Rotimi explained that the move to re-gazette the tax reform laws passed by the National Assembly and to issue Certified True Copies (CTCs) is administrative in nature and intended to ensure that the official records available to the public accurately reflect the legislative decisions of the National Assembly.

He said: “The Ad Hoc Committee, alongside other relevant committees of the National Assembly, working in collaboration with the Management of the National Assembly, is undertaking an institutional review to establish the sequence of events and to identify any factors that may have contributed to the circumstances surrounding the legislative and administrative handling of the Acts.

“This includes a careful examination of any lapses, irregularities, or external interferences, should any be established. The review is being conducted in full conformity with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Acts Authentication Act, Cap. A4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, the Standing Orders of both Chambers, and established parliamentary practice.

“In the course of this review, and in the interest of clarity, accuracy, and the integrity of the legislative record, the leadership of the National Assembly, under the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to re-gazette the Acts and issue Certified True Copies of the versions duly passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly.

“This administrative step is intended solely to authenticate and accurately reflect the legislative decisions of the National Assembly.”

He stressed that the review does not imply any defect in the exercise of legislative authority by either chamber, noting that it is strictly confined to institutional processes and procedures.

The statement added that the exercise is being conducted in line with the Constitution, the Acts Authentication Act, the Standing Orders of both chambers and established parliamentary practice, without prejudice to the powers of any other arm or agency of government.

“It is undertaken without prejudice to the powers, functions, or actions of any other arm or agency of government, and without prejudice to any rights, obligations, or legal processes arising under the Constitution or any other applicable law.

“The House of Representatives, under the leadership of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, remains firmly committed to the principles of constitutionalism, separation of powers, due process, and the supremacy of the rule of law.

“Where procedural or administrative refinements are identified, appropriate corrective measures will be taken in accordance with the law and established parliamentary conventions.”

He urged Nigerians to respectfully allow the National Assembly’s institutional processes to proceed without speculation or conjecture.

“The leadership of the House of Representatives remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the faithful discharge of its constitutional responsibility as custodian of the legislative authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has told Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, to appear personally to adopt his corruption allegation petition.

The business mogul filed a petition before the agency against the former Chief Executive of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Alhaji Farouk Ahmed, alleging fraud.

The agency said the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, does not allow proxy representation on criminal matters.

It gave Dangote December 29 deadline to appear before it.

Reports said the anti-graft commission conveyed its decision to Dangote’s lawyer, Dr. Ogwu Onoja (SAN), through a December 24 letter.

Onoja had, on December 22, gone to the ICPC office to adopt the petition.

But in a letter to Onoja by the Chief of Staff to ICPC Chairman, Rouqayya Ibrahim, the commission said it is necessary for Dangote to come in person.

The letter reads in part: “The commission acknowledges the appearance of your good self…, wherein you adopted the petition in respect of the allegations made against Engr. Farouk Ahmed on behalf of your client, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

“While the commission appreciates your representation, we are constrained to draw your attention to the fact that the matter under investigation is criminal in nature, being conducted pursuant to the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

“As you are aware, criminal investigations may culminate in criminal proceedings before a court of competent jurisdiction.

“In such circumstances, the statement and personal adoption of the petition by the complainant may be required to be tendered in court as part of the evidentiary process.

“It is, therefore, essential for purposes of procedural integrity and admissibility, that Alhaji Aliko Dangote personally adopts his petition before the commission.

“Accordingly, we respectfully request that you kindly facilitate the appearance of Alhaji Aliko Dangote at the Commission’s Headquarters on 29th December 2025 at 10am, for the purpose of formally adopting his petition. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.”

Dangote had alleged that Ahmed spent over $7million of public funds on his four children’s education at elite Swiss schools, with fees paid upfront for up to six years.

He alleged: “That Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over $7million of public funds, for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront.”

The cold war between Dangote and the petroleum regulator had resulted in a N100billion suit.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE filed a N100 billion lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging import licences issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and others, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

The refinery accused the regulator of granting licences to import refined petroleum products despite domestic production capacity.

It alleged that the action of the regulator violated some sections of the Petroleum Industry Act.

But the suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, was discontinued in July by Dangote’s lawyers.

ICPC’s petition guidelines say: “Any person anywhere in the world may make a complaint against any other person (corporate or non-corporate) in Nigeria, where reasonable grounds exist for suspecting that such a person has conspired to commit or attempted to commit or has committed an offence under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

The United States carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria’s government, U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. military said on Thursday, claiming the group had been targeting Christians in the region.

“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

His post went on to say U.S. defence officials had “executed numerous perfect strikes.”

The U.S. military’s Africa Command said on X that the strikes were conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities and killed multiple ISIS militants in Sokoto state.

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on X thanked the Nigerian government for its support and co-operation and added: “More to come…Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation,” before signing off, “Merry Christmas!”

Nigeria’s foreign ministry said early Friday morning local time that precision air strikes hit “terrorist targets” in the country’s northwest. It added that it remains engaged with Washington in “structured security cooperation.”

The strikes come after Trump began warning in late October that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria. He threatened military intervention in the West African country over what he said was its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.

Reuters reported on Monday that the U.S. had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November.

Nigeria’s government has said armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, and U.S. claims that Christians face persecution do not represent a complex security situation and ignore efforts to safeguard religious freedom. But it has agreed to work with the U.S. to bolster its forces against militant groups.

Source: CBC