Story Highlights
Following serious allegations of unauthorized tampering, the National Assembly has ordered the immediate re-gazetting of recently signed tax laws. This directive, issued on Friday, December 26, 2025, aims to remove controversial clauses regarding asset seizures and appeal deposits that lawmakers claim unknown actors smuggled into the official document.
A significant dispute erupted in Abuja this week regarding the integrity of Nigeria’s legislative process. On Friday, December 26, 2025, the National Assembly leadership took decisive action after discovering that the tax laws in the public domain contained strange clauses that neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives had approved.
The controversy centers on the revelation that the versions of the laws published in the Federal Government’s Official Gazette differ significantly from the bills the lawmakers actually passed. This incident adds to recent scrutiny of the administration, which intensified after activists saw Sowore slams Tinubu over US military operation in Nigeria.
Here are five things you must know about this developing situation.
1. The Whistleblower’s Alarm
The issue came to light because a vigilant lawmaker refused to stay silent. Abdusammad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives from Sokoto State, raised the initial alarm. He publicly claimed that the tax bills suffered alterations after leaving the legislative chambers but before receiving President Bola Tinubu’s signature.
Dasuki described these changes as a severe breach of legislative privilege. His assertion suggests that unknown individuals tampered with the document during its transit between the National Assembly and the Presidency. This claim forced the leadership to examine the gazetted copies against their own records, confirming the discrepancy.
2. The “Smuggled” Clauses
Lawmakers identified specific, dangerous provisions in the gazetted laws that were not part of the harmonised bills they passed. Notably, the altered version removed the mandatory requirement for law enforcement to obtain court orders before seizing assets from tax suspects. This change effectively gave agencies unchecked power to take property.
Furthermore, the manipulated text included a controversial clause that mandates a 20 per cent prepayment of disputed tax amounts before a tribunal can hear an appeal. Trust in government procedures is currently fragile, a sentiment echoed during the debate on 5 key details regarding Tinubu’s US helicopter deal. These inserted clauses would have made it incredibly difficult for citizens and businesses to challenge unfair tax assessments.
3. The Leadership’s Immediate Order
The reaction from the National Assembly leadership was swift and unified. House of Representatives spokesman Akin Alabi released a statement confirming that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Abbas Tajudeen had intervened. They directed the Clerk to immediately re-gazette the Acts to reflect the true will of the legislature.
This order serves as a damage control measure to ensure the public record matches the legal reality. The leadership also mandated the issuance of Certified True Copies of the versions the chambers duly approved. By doing this, they aim to void the altered versions currently in circulation and restore confidence in the law-making process.
4. External Pressure Mounts
Legal bodies and civil society groups wasted no time in condemning the alterations. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) called for a suspension of any actions based on the disputed provisions. They argued that enforcing laws that the legislature did not pass would amount to a violation of the constitution.
Civil society organizations supported this stance, warning that allowing the executive branch or administrative staff to alter laws would set a dangerous precedent. The House of Representatives clarified that the re-gazetting is purely an administrative step to safeguard the legislative record and does not interfere with the powers of other arms of government.
5. The Investigation Begins
Beyond just fixing the text, the National Assembly intends to find out how this happened. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen pledged a thorough investigation into the matter. To this end, the leadership set up an ad hoc seven-member committee to review the entire legislative and administrative handling of the laws.
Senate President Akpabio also ordered the preservation of the certified copies of the bills originally transmitted to the President. These documents will serve as critical evidence during the review. The committee will likely seek to identify who inserted the clauses and whether it was a clerical error or a deliberate act of sabotage.
Conclusion
The order to re-gazette the tax laws marks a rare but necessary confrontation between legislative intent and administrative execution. As the committee begins its work, Nigerians will watch closely to see if the government holds anyone accountable for the attempted alteration of the nation’s laws.
