Reps disown Minority Caucus’ interim report on tax laws

2026-01-26 - 04:16

•Clarifies parliamentary procedure By Gift ChapiOdekina Abuja-The House of Representatives has dismissed report of the ad hoc committee set up by the minority caucus to re-examine the recently enacted tax laws, describing such actions as procedurally improper and lacking institutional backing. In a statement issued yesterday by the spokesman, Akin Rotimi, the lower chamber said that under its Standing Orders, only the House sitting at plenary or the Speaker had the authority to constitute an ad hoc committee with 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. While acknowledging the legitimate role of political caucuses in parliamentary democracy, he clarified that such groups were limited to consultation, coordination and policy advocacy among members and do not have 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 added that any committee constituted outside the prescribed procedures lacked institutional recognition. He explained further that any interim or final report produced by 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.” According to him, the alleged action of the minority caucus is inconsistent with parliamentary norms and capable of creating public confusion, especially as the issue of the tax laws has already been addressed through established legislative mechanisms. Rotimi recalled that in December 2025, it constituted a bipartisan ad hoc committee, following concerns raised by an opposition lawmaker over multiple documents claiming 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, noting that its report would be presented to the House upon completion. He added that the National Assembly had since published the official gazette and issued Certified True Copies, CTCs, of the enacted tax laws, thereby concluding the legislative process and giving it full legal effect. “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 warned that the establishment of a parallel caucus-led committee and the circulation of purported interim findings could further compound public misunderstanding on an issue that had been “institutionally resolved and overtaken by events.” Reaffirming the House’s commitment to transparency and accountability, the spokesman stressed that such objectives must be pursued strictly within constitutional and procedural frameworks. “For the avoidance of doubt, only committees constituted by the House in plenary or by the speaker have parliamentary authority,” he said, advising the public to regard any other committee or report as a political initiative, rather than an official action of the House of Representatives. Vanguard News Nigeria