- Safiu Kehinde
Sokoto state lawmaker, Abdulsammad Dasuki, has raised alarm over alleged discrepancies spotted in the gazetted tax reform laws and the version passed by the National Assembly.
Dasuki made the observation at the House Representatives plenary session on Wednesday.
Citing Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules, the lawmaker representing Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency, declared that his legislative privilege had been breached.
He disclosed undergoing comparative analysis of the gazetted tax laws alongside the votes and proceedings of the green chamber as well as that of the Senate.
Dauski alleged that the gazetted copy which is currently on sale at the Ministry of Information, is completely inconsistent with what was passed.
“Mr. Speaker, Honourable colleagues, I’m here today because my privilege has been breached as a member of this important House Mr. Speaker.
“We passed the tax law on this floor and Mr. Speaker I took my time in the last three days to look at the gazetted past copies, 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 of what was harmonised.
“What I passed on this floor is not what is gazetted. I have all the copies but I’m coming under privilege because I was here; I gave my vote; it was counted; and I’m seeing something completely different.
“On that note, I will call on Mr. Speaker to graciously look at what was harmonised, what is in the gazetted copy, what was passed in the House and the Senate.
“You will find out what is before Nigerians which is being sold to Nigerians at the Ministry of Information which I personally went to buy are not what was passed.” He said.
Dasuki labelled the discrepancies as breach of the constitution.
He urged the chamber to revisit all the documents and compare them with what is contained in the tax laws gazette.
“All the documents should be brought before the committee of the whole.
“The whole number should see what is in the gazetted, should see what they passed on the floor so that we can make the relevant amendment.
“This is a breach of the constitution. This is a breach on our laws and should not be taken by this honourable House.” He added.