A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), has raised concerns that the tax laws currently available to the public are not the same as those passed by the National Assembly.

Dasuki drew the attention of the House to the issue on Wednesday while rising on a Point of Privilege under Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules.

He said the development amounted to a violation of his legislative rights and a serious breach of parliamentary procedure, noting that the contents of the gazetted tax laws do not reflect what lawmakers debated, voted on, and approved on the floor.

According to the lawmaker, he spent three days after the passage of the tax reform bills examining the gazetted versions alongside the Votes and Proceedings of the House, as well as the harmonised copies adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly.

He said the review revealed clear discrepancies.

“I was present, I cast my vote and it was duly counted, yet what I am seeing now is completely different,” Dasuki said.

He added that copies of the laws obtained from the Ministry of Information did not correspond with the versions approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Dasuki stressed that his intervention was not aimed at moving a motion but at alerting the House to what he described as a grave constitutional and legislative anomaly.

He called on the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, to ensure that all relevant documents, including the harmonised bills, the Votes and Proceedings of both chambers, and the gazetted laws in circulation, are presented before the Committee of the Whole for thorough scrutiny.

“Mr Speaker, all members should be allowed to see what is contained in the gazetted copies and compare them with what was passed on the floor so that any necessary corrections can be made. This goes to the heart of our Constitution and our laws,” he said.

Responding, Speaker Abbas, who presided over the plenary, said he had taken note of the Point of Privilege and assured lawmakers that appropriate action would be taken.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, on June 26, 2025, signed four tax reform bills into law.

The new legislations are the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service Act and the Joint Revenue Board Act.

The laws are intended to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system by boosting revenue generation, improving the business environment and strengthening tax administration across federal, state and local governments.

Under the new framework, the Value Added Tax rate remains at 7.5 per cent, despite earlier proposals to raise it to 12.5 per cent, although the scope of VAT has been widened.

Essential goods and services such as food, education, healthcare, public transport, residential rent and exports are zero-rated to cushion inflationary pressures.

The revenue allocation formula for VAT has also been adjusted, with 30 per cent now shared based on consumption, 50 per cent distributed equally among states, and 20 per cent allocated according to population.

The Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has approved a fresh round of appointments involving commissioners-designate, board chairmen, executive secretaries and other senior officials across various government agencies.

The appointments were announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia.

According to the statement, the newly appointed commissioners-designate are Barrister Osinachi Nnajieze and Dr C. O. C. Egumgbe.

Their names have been forwarded to the Enugu State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

Other senior appointments approved by the governor include Kenechukwu Nnamani as Managing Director of the Enugu State Investment Development Authority; James Chukwuemeka Mbah as Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Scholarship and Education Loans Board; Dr Eric Oluedo as Executive Secretary of the Local Government Staff Pensions Board; Mrs Sylvia Onwubuemeli as Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Library Board; and Monday Diamond Ani as State Coordinator of the Community and Social Development Agency.

Governor Mbah also approved the reconstitution of the Governing Board of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board.

Members of the board include Hon. Afam Nnaji, Dr Mrs Uche Eze, Dr Mrs Oge Uka, Mrs Rita Chimaobi Ihemeje representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Mrs Justina Ugwu representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Dr Nnenna Ogbonna representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Theophilus Nweke representing the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and Mrs Juliet Ifesinachi Ani representing the State Women Group. Dr Luke Ohabuenyi Ezema was appointed Secretary of the board.

Additional appointments include Dr Mrs Nneka Onyebuchi and Patrick Onwe as members of the Post Primary Schools Management Board; Barrister Nwabueze Ugwu as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Enugu State College of Education Technical; Chief Nwabueze Nnamani as Board Chairman of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation; Richard Onaga as Managing Director of the Enugu State Waste Management Agency; and Hon. Bob Itanyi as Managing Director of the Enugu State Transport Company.

Others are Barrister Richard Agu as Board Chairman of Enugu Air; Rt. Hon. USA Igwesi as Board Chairman of the New Enugu Smart City Development Authority; Hon. Chika Igwesi as Chairman of the Enugu State Road Maintenance and Development Agency; Hon. Chidera Odo as Chairman of the Enugu State Roads Fund; Hon. Barrister Manfred Nzekwe as Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Roads Fund; Dr John Egbo as Managing Director of the Enugu East Zone Transport Terminals; Hon. Prince Emeka Mamah as Managing Director of the Enugu North Zone Transport Terminals; and Rev. Chimaobi Aninwene as a member of the Enugu State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.

The statement noted that while the appointments of the commissioners-designate are subject to legislative confirmation, all other appointments take immediate effect.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has announced its decision to support Governor Ademola Adeleke’s second-term ambition, even though he is no longer a member of the party.

Chairman of the PDP in the state, Sunday Bisi, disclosed that the party’s entire structure would work for Adeleke’s re-election in the August 8, 2026, governorship election, which he will contest on the platform of the Accord Party.

Governor Adeleke recently resigned from the PDP and secured the Accord Party’s governorship ticket ahead of the poll.
Speaking in an interview in Osogbo, Bisi clarified that he had not defected from the PDP and would not be joining the governor in his new party.

He maintained that he remains the state chairman of the PDP, with his tenure running until 2027.

According to him, the party has already endorsed Adeleke for a second term, stressing that the governor enjoys the backing of PDP stakeholders across the state.

“I have not decamped to any political party. I am still the PDP chairman in Osun State, and my tenure subsists till 2027.”

“However, the entire PDP structure in Osun is solidly behind Governor Ademola Adeleke. We have endorsed him for a second term, and we will ensure he wins convincingly,” Bisi said.

When asked about the PDP’s governorship candidate, Adebayo Adedamola (FRYO), Bisi played down his candidacy, insisting that the party’s focus was on securing Adeleke’s victory under the Accord Party platform.

Reacting to concerns that his position could be viewed as anti-party activity, Bisi dismissed such fears, arguing that similar political alignments had occurred in the past without sanctions.

“There is nothing like anti-party in what we are doing. This is not new in Nigerian politics.”

“There have been instances where parties supported candidates from other platforms without issues. So, we are not doing anything unusual,” he said.

Meanwhile, former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has distanced himself from Adeleke’s defection, reaffirming his loyalty to the PDP.

Oyinlola spoke at the second matriculation ceremony of Alolade Oyinlola College of Health Sciences and Information Technology in Okuku, where about 90 students were admitted.

He stated that he has no intention of leaving the PDP, adding that Adeleke’s political decision would not influence his own stance.

“I will not leave the PDP unless it goes into extinction. I am not following Demola to Accord. At my age, I cannot be pushed around. I am gradually withdrawing from active politics. I will be 75 in February,” he said.

The Presidential Coalition Council (PCC) has officially kicked off a nationwide campaign in Ibadan, Oyo State, to rally support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The coalition emphasized that a second term would allow for the continuation and consolidation of the far-reaching reforms initiated by his administration.

The launch, held at Christ Apostolic Church Grammar School, Adesola, Ibadan, featured a sensitisation programme on the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration.

Speaking on behalf of the PCC, National Coordinator Abiodun Faleke urged Nigerians to actively participate in grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls.

“The President assures you that there is no cause for fear ahead of 2027. The APC will emerge victorious at both the national and state levels. Keep your Permanent Voter’s Cards safe, and if you do not have one, register immediately.”

“Without your voter’s card, mobilisation efforts will amount to nothing,” Faleke relayed on behalf of Tinubu.

Highlighting the strategic importance of Ibadan, Abdullah Enilolobo of the PCC team from Abuja explained that the city accounts for nearly half of Oyo State’s votes, making it a critical starting point for the campaign.

Enilolobo also praised the administration’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, the floating of the naira, and the introduction of a new tax regime, describing them as necessary measures that helped stabilise the nation.

He urged party members to work collectively to secure victories in both the Oyo State governorship election and the 2027 presidential poll.

The event was supported by APC leaders and stakeholders from across Nigeria, including Ayo Bakare, who organised the launch and sensitisation programme using personal resources.

Several PCC members from Abuja and APC stalwarts in Oyo State, such as Mufutau Adisa, Abu Gbadamosi, Shittu Ibrahim, and Musbau Azeez, were also in attendance.

Former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Dr. Najeem Salaam, has been confirmed as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.

DAILY GAZETTE correspondent reports that Salaam won the party’s ticket during the ADC primary held at the Ultimate Civic Centre in Osogbo on Monday.

According to Mr. Emeka Nwajiuba, Chairman of the ADC 2026 Primary Election Committee, Salaam was the sole aspirant for the governorship position.

“The screening process and information from the ADC Organising Secretary’s Office confirm that Salaam is the only aspirant vying for the party’s ticket,” he stated.

A total of 528 delegates from the 332 wards of Osun State participated in the primary, casting their votes.

Out of these, 520 were valid votes in favour of Salaam, while eight were declared void.

“By the authority vested in this panel under the ADC constitution, I hereby announce Dr. Najeem Salaam as the candidate-elect and flag bearer of our party for the 2026 Osun governorship election,” Nwajiuba declared.

In his acceptance speech, Salaam expressed gratitude to the ADC leadership and members for their trust.

“I accept this mandate with a deep sense of responsibility. I accept it with hope, because our people still believe, and I accept it with prayer, knowing the challenges ahead are real,” he said.