The House of Representatives officially formed an Ad-Hoc Committee on Thursday to investigate reported inconsistencies between the tax reform bills passed by the National Assembly and the official gazetted version currently being distributed to government agencies.

This development follows a motion raised during Wednesday’s plenary by Abdussamad Dasuki, the representative for Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, who alerted the House to discrepancies in the documents.

Dasuki, a member of the committee, highlighted that the harmonised version agreed upon by both the Senate and the House of Representatives appeared to have been altered in the Federal Government’s final gazette.

The PUNCH previously reported Dasuki’s warning that these unauthorised changes could make the new tax laws legally vulnerable because they lack the necessary legislative approval.

At the start of Thursday’s session, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas acknowledged the gravity of the claims and announced the appointment of a seven-man Ad-Hoc Committee to conduct a thorough investigation and report back for further legislative action.

“On the revised tax laws, the house leadership has unanimously agreed that a committee should be set up immediately to look into the matters that were raised and many others,” the Speaker stated.

“In that respect, I’m happy to announce to you that the following members have been appointed to the committee. They are Mukhtar Betara as Chairman, Idris Wase, James Faleke, Sada Soli, Igariwey Iduma, Fredrick Agbedi and Babajimi Benson,” he added.

During the previous day’s session, Dasuki had formally raised a point of privilege, describing the situation as a constitutional infraction that directly affected his role as a lawmaker.

He told the House: “I’m here today because my privilege has been breached as a member of this all-important House. Mr Speaker, Honourable colleagues, we passed the tax laws (bills) on this floor. I took my time in the last three days to look at the gazetted copy.”

“I also looked at the votes and proceedings of the House of Representatives, and also went an extra mile to look at the votes and proceedings of the Senate of what was harmonised,” he continued.

He further explained: “Mr Speaker, honourable colleagues, what was passed on this floor is not what is gazetted. I’m coming under privilege, because I was here. I gave my vote, and it was counted, and I’m seeing something completely different.”

“On that note and on this privilege, I call on Mr Speaker to graciously look at what was harmonised and what is in the gazetted copy- what was passed in the House and the Senate,” Dasuki urged.

He noted the public impact of the error, stating: “You will find out that what is before Nigerians, which is being sold to Nigerians at the Ministry of Information, is not what was passed.”

Dasuki requested that the House revisit the original approved version, saying: “I plead that all the documents should be brought before the Committee of the Whole so that we can make the relevant amendments.”

He emphasised the legal weight of the issue, adding: “This is a breach of the Constitution and our laws, and this should not be taken by this Honourable House.”

In response to these events, the Peoples Democratic Party has called for a comprehensive inquiry into the differences between the Tax Reform Act approved by lawmakers and the version released to the public.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong, the PDP insisted that the matter should not be ignored by the current administration.

The PDP stated: “A member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, drew public attention to the disparity between the version of the Tax Act enacted by the parliament and the gazetted copy. This disparity must be comprehensively investigated and not treated with the customary levity that this administration has shown toward very serious issues of governance. Nigerians are interested in knowing how the insertions and substitutions got into the gazetted copy.”

“The leadership of the House of Representatives must not attempt to sweep it under the carpet, as it has done with the now popular rumour that the country is operating two budgets within a fiscal year. This criminal act of inserting unenacted sections in laws can erode public trust in the enactments of parliament. Nigerians need assurance that the laws they obey are valid laws enacted by their elected representatives, not laws with insertions that are foreign to the lawmakers,” the party continued.

The statement also noted: “We commend our member, Mr Dasuki, for his fastidiousness and courage in the discharge of his legislative duties.”

“Consequently, we demand that the commencement date of the Tax Act be shifted from January 1, 2026, for at least six months to allow sufficient time for the investigation of this anomaly, publication and circulation of the enacted version, and, more importantly, the mounting of sufficient enlightenment campaigns on the new Act,” the PDP demanded.

Furthermore, the PDP expressed concern over President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the 68th ECOWAS Ordinary Heads of State Meeting held in Abuja from December 10 to 12.

The party argued that the President’s decision to send a representative while attending a political event the following day could harm Nigeria’s regional influence and international reputation.

The party stated: “The Economic Community of West African States held its 68th Ordinary Heads of States and Government Meeting in Abuja to discuss burning issues (especially insecurity and political instability) affecting member states. Presidents of member states travelled to Nigeria to attend the meeting due to the importance of the issues on the agenda, but the host, President Tinubu, was represented by Vice President Shettima.”

“While the President is at liberty to send a representative, if he is indisposed, subsequent attendance at a political event the next day creates a perception of less premium paid to regional stability, which is in opposition to our foreign policy. Acts like this may contribute to the scant regard our country has earned under his administration, in the eyes of other countries, who respected and revered us previously,” the statement continued.

The PDP concluded by urging the President and the APC to prioritise governance, infrastructure, and institutional integrity over 2027 election preparations.

“It should intensify investment in critical infrastructure in the areas of security, education, roads, and health care across the country, instead of funding and empowering political structures in preparation for the 2027 elections using Renewed Hope Ambassadors,” the party suggested.

“The stakes are too high for business as usual. Our legislative integrity, international standing, and regional leadership are not partisan issues; they are national imperatives. Nigerians deserve solutions, not excuses,” the statement asserted.

“Our contemporary challenges demand evidence-based policies, transparent governance, and collaborative problem-solving. The time for action is now. When institutions fail, democracy suffers. When leadership falters, the nation pays the price,” the party added.