Monday, January 26, 2026 - 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.
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