It’s sheer mischief, Reps Deputy Spokesperson reacts to Ndume’s claims on falsification of tax acts

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon Philip Agbese, has dismissed claims by Senator Ali Ndume.(Borno South) that the tax laws recently passed tax laws were falsified, describing it as “sheer mischief.”

He insisted that due legislative processes were followed and that issues being raised have already been addressed institutionally.

Speaking in an interview on Friday in Abuja, Agbese described the allegations by Senator Ndume as misleading and capable of creating unnecessary tension and public distrust in the legislature.

He said it was wrong for anyone to suggest that the National Assembly altered or concealed provisions of the tax laws, stressing that both chambers were committed to transparency and accountability.

According to him, the House had already taken proactive steps by setting up a committee to examine concerns surrounding the tax legislation, making insinuations of cover-up or legislative fraud unfounded.

“It is sheer mischief to suggest the tax laws were falsified.”

The House deputy spokesman’s reaction follows comments by Ndume, who criticised Senate President Godswill Akpabio for insisting that the newly passed tax law was not tainted by inconsistencies.

Ndume had claimed, during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, that there were at least two versions of the tax law gazette, arguing that what President Bola Tinubu signed into law differed from what was passed by the National Assembly.

The Borno South senator said he had alerted the Senate leadership to the discrepancies and faulted Akpabio for dismissing the claims, instead of setting up a probe to investigate the alleged disparities.

Reacting, the House deputy spokesperson said the matter should not be politicised or sensationalised, noting that legislative review mechanisms exist to address genuine errors or ambiguities where they exist.

“This is exactly why the House set up a committee—to clarify the facts. Nigerians should not be misled into thinking that lawmakers are acting in bad faith,” he said.

He added that lawmaking must be built on facts and due process, warning that speculative narratives could distract from efforts to reform Nigeria’s tax system in the public interest.