Minority caucus, House clash over tax law probe

A standoff has emerged between the House of Representatives and its Minority Caucus over an ad hoc committee investigating alleged alterations to Nigeria’s tax laws.

The Chairman of the Minority Caucus ad hoc committee, Afam Ogene, warned on Sunday that dismissing the committee’s interim report would embolden impunity and undermine the National Assembly.

The remarks came after House deputy spokesperson Philip Agbese reportedly described the report as “overtaken by events” following the release of Certified True Copies of the affected tax laws.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Ogene said: “While I might ordinarily have ignored the remarks as a personal opinion, Agbese’s position as a principal officer of the House imposes higher responsibilities. Such offices carry the burden of safeguarding the integrity of the legislature and democratic processes.”

He added, “I am therefore perplexed as to why he has assumed the role of spokesperson for the executive in this matter.”

Ogene, who represents Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra State, emphasised that the minority caucus committee’s report did not indict the National Assembly or question its legislative authority. Rather, it highlighted “the concerning attempt by perpetrators of the illegal alterations to undermine the legislature’s functional integrity and independence.”

He questioned claims that the matter had been resolved, noting that a separate bipartisan committee, chaired by Muktar Betara, continues to review the tax acts.

“If, as Agbese claims, the alleged alterations have been overtaken by events following the release of Certified True Copies, why is the Betara committee still sitting and has not been dissolved by the House?” Ogene asked.

The lawmaker warned that ignoring such procedural anomalies could weaken democratic institutions.

“Speaking in the manner that Agbese has spoken will only enable unacceptable behaviour that ought to attract the collective upbraid of all lawmakers, irrespective of partisan divide. Democratic institutions are strengthened when accountability is upheld, not when official malfeasance is overlooked,” he said.

Ogene expressed confidence in Speaker Abbas Tajudeen’s leadership, adding: “I trust that the Speaker will continue to defend the independence of the legislature and ensure that public interest prevails over political expediency.”

But in response, House spokesman Akin Rotimi described the Minority Caucus’ move as “procedurally flawed and lacking institutional authority.”

“The House recognises the legitimate role of the minority caucus within parliamentary democracy and affirms its right to express dissenting opinions, engage in policy advocacy, and raise public concerns,” Rotimi said. “However, it is necessary to distinguish clearly between political activities and the formal parliamentary processes of the House.”

He stressed that the Standing Orders of the House (Eleventh Edition) vest the power to constitute ad hoc committees solely in the House acting in plenary or in the Speaker exercising powers conferred under the Standing Orders.

“No political caucus, whether majority or minority, possesses the procedural authority to establish a committee that carries the status of a parliamentary body,” Rotimi added.

Rotimi explained that caucuses serve only as platforms for consultation and coordination and do not have investigative authority, oversight jurisdiction, or the power to summon individuals or demand official documents. “Any action taken by a caucus in this regard is non-binding, informal, and without legal or institutional consequence,” he said.

He also highlighted that the Betara-led bipartisan committee, appointed in December 2025 to examine multiple purported copies of the tax legislation, remains active.

“That committee was constituted by the House in line with the Standing Orders. It continues to discharge its assignment, and upon conclusion, it will lay its report before the House in plenary,” Rotimi said.

The spokesman noted that the National Assembly has published the official Gazette and issued Certified True Copies of the enacted tax laws, formally disowning any unofficial documents. He warned that the parallel caucus-led committee “only serves to compound public misunderstanding on an issue that has been institutionally resolved and overtaken by events.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, only committees constituted by the House in plenary or by the Speaker have parliamentary authority,” Rotimi said. “Members of the public should regard any committee or report not authorised by the House as a political initiative rather than an official action of the Green Chamber.”

The clash underscores growing tensions over legislative oversight and the need to maintain procedural integrity while responding to allegations of malpractice within the tax legislation process. Analysts say the dispute highlights the delicate balance between political advocacy by minority lawmakers and formal parliamentary authority in Nigeria’s National Assembly. (Punch)