A member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, has drawn the attention of his colleagues to alleged alterations of the tax bills as passed in both chambers of the National Assembly.
Speaking on the matter of privileges at Wednesday’s plenary session, Dasuki alleged that the gazetted copy of the new tax laws in circulation differs in some clauses from the harmonised version passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
He said, “I’m here today because my privilege has been breached as a member of this all-important House. Mr Speaker, Honourable colleagues, we passed the tax laws (bills) on this floor. I took my time in the last three days to look at the gazetted copy.
“I also looked at the votes and proceedings of the House of Representatives, and also went an extra mile to look at the votes and proceedings of the Senate, which were harmonised.
“Mister Speaker, Honourable colleagues, what was passed on this floor is not what is gazetted. I’m coming under privilege, because I was here. I gave my vote, and it was counted, and I’m seeing something completely different.
“On that note and on this privilege, I call on Mr Speaker to graciously look at what was harmonised and what is in the gazetted copy- what was passed in the House and the Senate. “You will find out that what is before Nigerians, which is being sold to Nigerians at the Ministry of Information, is not what was passed.”
He called on the House to revisit the version passed, saying, “I plead that all the documents should be brought before the Committee of the Whole so that we can make the relevant amendments.”
He described the development as a breach of the Constitution. “This is a breach of the Constitution and our laws, and this should not be taken by this Honourable House,” he added. Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, said the lawmakers would look into the issue and address it in the interest of the nation.