The House of Representatives has rejected the report of an ad hoc committee constituted by the minority caucus to re-examine the recently enacted tax laws, stating that the action is procedurally improper and lacks official parliamentary backing.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Akin Rotimi, the lower chamber explained that under its Standing Orders, only the House in plenary or the Speaker has the authority to set up an ad hoc committee with official parliamentary status.
“No political caucus, whether majority or minority, possesses the procedural authority to establish a committee that carries the status of a parliamentary body,” Rotimi said.
He acknowledged the important role political caucuses play in parliamentary democracy but stressed that their functions are restricted to consultation, coordination, and policy advocacy among members, without any investigative or oversight powers.
He stated further: “Any action taken by a caucus in this regard is, therefore, non-binding, informal and without legal or institutional consequence.’’
The lawmaker emphasised that any committee formed outside the prescribed rules has no institutional recognition.
He explained that any interim or final report from such a caucus-led body “cannot be laid before the House, cannot be received as a parliamentary document, and does not form part of the official legislative or oversight record of the National Assembly.”
Rotimi noted that the minority caucus’s action runs contrary to parliamentary practice and risks creating public confusion, especially since the tax laws issue has already been handled through proper legislative channels.
He recalled that in December 2025, the House set up a bipartisan ad hoc committee after an opposition member raised concerns about multiple documents purporting to be official gazettes of the tax legislation.
“That committee, constituted by the House in line with the Standing Orders, remains in force, and continues to discharge its assignment,” he said, adding that its report will be presented to the House when completed.
He pointed out that the National Assembly has since published the authentic gazette and issued Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the enacted tax laws, thereby completing the legislative process and giving the laws full legal force.
“The National Assembly has also formally disowned and debunked any unofficial documents in circulation, reiterating that only the gazetted versions and duly certified copies issued by the National Assembly constitute authentic legislative instruments,” the lawmaker stated.
He cautioned that setting up a parallel caucus committee and circulating alleged interim findings could deepen public misunderstanding on a matter that has been institutionally resolved and overtaken by events.
Reaffirming the House’s dedication to transparency and accountability, the spokesman insisted that these principles must be pursued only within constitutional and procedural boundaries.
“For the avoidance of doubt, only committees constituted by the House in plenary or by the speaker have parliamentary authority,” he said, urging the public to treat any other committee or report as a mere political activity rather than an official act of the House of Representatives.
