A coalition of civil society organisations operating under the banner of The Patriots has rejected allegations that the recently passed Tax Reform Acts were altered after their approval by the National Assembly, describing such claims as unfounded, misleading and unsupported by evidence.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and signed by its Coordinator, Muhammad E. Dauda, the group declared its full confidence in the leadership of the National Assembly, particularly its decision to re-gazette the Tax Acts 2025.
The coalition stressed that the Votes and Proceedings of both the Senate and the House of Representatives dated May 28, 2025, represent the final and authoritative record of legislative decisions on the Tax Acts. According to the group, these records were officially published on May 29, 2025, and have remained publicly accessible since then.
The Patriots said it undertook a detailed review of the harmonised versions of the Tax Acts, the Votes and Proceedings, as well as the Conference Committee Reports, and found no material discrepancies in the documents.
Addressing claims that multiple versions of the laws appeared in the Official Gazette, the coalition explained that gazetting is an administrative process that does not possess the legal authority to amend or override laws duly passed by the legislature. It cited judicial precedents which affirm that clerical or administrative errors during publication do not invalidate Acts of the National Assembly nor distort legislative intent.
While acknowledging the gravity of allegations suggesting post-passage alterations, the group maintained that those making such claims bear the responsibility of providing proof. It added that, until a competent court rules otherwise, the Tax Acts as passed by the National Assembly remain valid and enforceable.
The Patriots also endorsed the National Assembly’s decision to re-gazette the laws based on the harmonised clean copies and official parliamentary records, describing the step as lawful, appropriate and sufficient. It cautioned that calls for suspension, repeal or re-enactment of the Acts were unnecessary and risked creating avoidable legal and fiscal uncertainty.
Commending the directive for the Clerk of the National Assembly to issue Certified True Copies of the Tax Acts to members of the public, the coalition said the move would further promote transparency and strengthen public trust in the legislative process.
The group urged Nigerians to respect official parliamentary records, support the re-gazetting exercise and refrain from spreading narratives capable of weakening democratic institutions.