Senate President Godswill Akpabio has assured lawmakers and the public that Nigeria’s newly implemented tax laws have not been tampered with, dismissing reports of conflicting versions in circulation.
Addressing senators during Wednesday’s plenary session, Akpabio said the allegations were based on documents that did not align with the officially approved legislative records.
“There is no adulteration whatsoever,” he said, adding that only the officially gazetted laws, signed by the President and certified by the National Assembly, should be regarded as valid.
According to Akpabio, four Tax Reform Acts have been completed and formally gazetted, following approval by both chambers of parliament and harmonisation of their provisions.
To prevent further confusion, he instructed the Clerk of the Senate to issue certified copies of the Acts directly to all senators, emphasising that the documents should not be distributed through unofficial channels.
“These laws reflect the resolutions of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the harmonisation committee, and have been duly signed by Mr President,” he said.
In a separate development, the Senate postponed deliberation on a report submitted by the Committee on Electoral Matters.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele explained that the committee’s chairman, Senator Simon Lalong, was unavailable, although copies of the report had already been circulated among senators.
He said lawmakers would be given time to examine the report before holding a closed-door session to debate key provisions and adopt the bill.
Backing the decision, Akpabio said the Senate would prioritise due process over speed. “We do not need to rush this report. We will proceed carefully and ensure fairness in our decisions,” he said.
