Tax Reform Controversy: Oyedele Defends ‘Harmonized Copy’ Amidst Heated Exchange on Arise TV

Lagos, Nigeria – In a tense exchange on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, faced rigorous questioning regarding the authenticity of the recently gazetted Tax Reform Bill. The interview comes amidst growing allegations from lawmakers that the version of the bill signed by President Bola Tinubu differs materially from what was passed by the National Assembly.

The Core Controversy: “Which Copy Did You See?” The segment centered on a critical procedural question: Did the President sign the exact “harmonized copy” passed by the legislature?

Anchor Rufai Oseni pressed Oyedele on whether he had personally seen the official harmonized copy from the National Assembly. Oyedele clarified that while he had not received the copy directly from the National Assembly, he vetted the version provided by the Federal Ministry of Justice—the final legal clearinghouse before a bill reaches the President.

“The harmonized copy I saw was what I got from the Ministry of Justice… Whatever they publish is the harmonized copy,” Oyedele stated.

The “Unauthorized” Gazette Admission In a significant revelation, Oyedele admitted that confusion may have stemmed from a “first version” of the gazette that was released without authorization. He acknowledged that this initial version contained errors which were subsequently corrected in the final document signed by the President.

“There was a first version of the gazette that was not authorized for release… there were many corrections they made,” Oyedele explained, citing specifically that the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rate was successfully reduced from 30% to 25% in the final version, a change that was missing in earlier drafts.

Key Thresholds Confirmed To settle the dispute over the content of the law, the interviewers demanded Oyedele confirm the specific financial thresholds in the gazetted copy he possesses. Oyedele confirmed the following figures are in the signed law:

• N25 Million (Quarterly): The threshold for individuals/reporting.
• N100 Million (Annual): The turnover threshold for small business exemptions.

Why This Matters The controversy highlights a potential breakdown in trust between the legislative and executive branches. If the gazetted law differs from the legislative intent, it could spark legal challenges and undermine public confidence in the reforms. Oyedele maintained that the Ministry of Justice’s vetting process ensures alignment, but the aggressive questioning underscores that doubts remain in the public sphere.

Next Steps The National Assembly is expected to resume from break soon, where the demand for the publication of their official “harmonized copy” to compare against the President’s gazette is likely to intensify.