The House of Representatives has formally disowned an interim report by an ad-hoc committee set up by the Minority Caucus to probe alleged post-passage alterations to four recently enacted tax reform laws, escalating a growing institutional dispute at the National Assembly. The House insisted that the caucus-led committee lacked the constitutional and procedural authority to conduct investigations or submit reports for legislative consideration.
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Akintunde Rotimi, the House said only the plenary or the Speaker can constitute investigative committees, stressing that political caucuses—whether majority or minority—have no such powers under its Standing Orders. The House warned that reports from informal bodies could mislead the public, particularly on sensitive matters involving laws already passed, signed by the President, gazetted, and certified.
The House noted that it had already established a properly constituted, bipartisan ad-hoc committee to examine claims that multiple versions of the tax laws were in circulation. That committee, chaired by Aliyu Mukthar Betara, remains in place and is expected to submit its findings to plenary, while the National Assembly has disowned any unofficial documents, affirming that only the gazetted versions and Certified True Copies it issued are authentic.
However, the Minority Caucus rejected the House leadership’s position. Victor Afam Ogene, who chaired the caucus committee, said dismissing its interim report could embolden impunity, arguing that the findings pointed to alleged interference by external actors rather than flaws in the legislature’s process. He questioned why the House-appointed committee was still sitting if the matter had indeed been resolved, warning that failure to ensure accountability could undermine legislative integrity.
