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Akpabio Accused of Ordering Clerk of the Senate House to Hide Signed Tax Law

Published

6 months ago

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of ordering the Clerk of the National Assembly to hide certified copies of the tax reform bill transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent, which was subsequently signed into law.

According to Peoples Gazette, two senators and four members of the House of Representatives said that the embargo placed on the certified copies of the tax reform bill by Akpabio has deepened suspicion and internal wrangling within the legislature, as lawmakers who requested copies of the assented bill were denied access allegedly on the order of the Senate President.

The legislators reportedly said the document was required to confirm that the version signed into law by the president was identical to the certified true copy passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The controversy was triggered by allegations raised by a House of Representatives member, Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto State), who claimed that the tax laws available to the public differed from the versions passed by the National Assembly.

Raising a Point of Privilege under Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules, Mr Dasuki told the House that his legislative rights had been breached, insisting that the content of the gazetted tax laws did not reflect what lawmakers debated, voted on and approved during plenary.

He said that after the passage of the tax bill, he spent three days reviewing the gazetted copies alongside the Votes and Proceedings of the House and the harmonised versions adopted by both chambers.

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“I was here, I gave my vote and it was counted, and I am seeing something completely different,” The Gazette quoted Dasuki as saying.

Dasuki added that copies of the gazetted laws obtained from the Ministry of Information did not match the versions approved by the House and the Senate.

The lawmaker stressed that his intervention was not aimed at moving a motion but at alerting the House to what he described as a serious breach of the legislative process and the constitution.

Following the allegation, several lawmakers reportedly formally requested copies of the signed law to compare it with the version debated and approved during plenary sessions.

The Gazette reports that it had seen a certified true copy of the tax bill as passed by the National Assembly, a development that has further raised questions about why the leadership would place an embargo on the assented version of the law.

However, as of the time of filing this report, neither Akpabio, the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly, nor Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had commented on the matter.

But lawmakers said that officials in the Office of the Clerk informed them that they were acting on the instruction of Akpabio, who allegedly ordered that no copy of the assented tax law should be released to any legislator, according to The Gazette.

“What is unfolding before us is an attempt to subvert our nascent democracy, and we want Nigerian compatriots of good conscience to help us in this fight,” The Gazette quoted a ruling party senator as saying on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

“I have personally approached the clerk’s office four times over the past week to ask for the certified documents but they keep saying the SP told them not to release them to anyone,” the senator added.

A member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State also described the situation as troubling, expressing disappointment over Speaker Abbas’ handling of the issue.

“This is supposed to be handled with the urgency and sensitivity it deserves,” the lawmaker said, adding, “But we have decided to punt this chaos into the new year even as it appears the administration may not scrap the January 1 implementation of the so-called law.”

Lawmakers said the content of the gazetted document has become central to the dispute, noting that access to the assented copy was critical to determining whether any alterations were made to the bill between its passage by the legislature and assent by the president.

They warned that withholding the document undermined legislative oversight and eroded trust within parliament.

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NISO Announces Power Outage in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina for Grid Maintenance

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2 days ago

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June 27, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has announced a planned power interruption affecting Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states this Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

In a statement posted via its X handle, NISO explained that the temporary outage is necessary to facilitate essential maintenance at the 330kV Kumbotso Substation, to be carried out by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

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Describing the upgrade as a critical investment, the system operator noted that the exercise would strengthen the national grid, enhance transmission capacity, and improve the overall resilience of Nigeria’s power system—ultimately leading to better electricity supply for customers in the affected region.

NISO expressed regret over the inconvenience and appealed for patience, understanding, and cooperation from members of the public during the maintenance period.

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DSS Releases Detained Farmer, Awards N3 Million Compensation After Review Clears Him of Terror Links

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2 days ago

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June 27, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release and compensation of a man who had been wrongfully detained on suspicion of ties to Boko Haram.

Nura Idris, a farmer and livestock rearer from Soba Local Government Area in Kaduna State, was released following a comprehensive review by a DSS investigation panel that found no evidence to support the allegations against him.

In addition to ordering his release, the DSS Director-General approved a compensation package of N3 million to assist Idris with his immediate needs and pledged further support to help him rebuild his business.

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According to a security source, Idris was initially arrested in June 2024 in Suleja, Niger State, by a sister security agency over alleged links to terrorists. He was subsequently transferred to DSS custody, where the case underwent a full review.

Receiving the compensation, Idris expressed gratitude to the DSS leadership. “I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” he was quoted as saying.

His father, Yusuf Idris, who received him upon his release, also thanked the DSS Director-General for his compassion and generosity, assuring that the compensation would be put to good use.

Another security source disclosed that in similar cases, the DSS routinely provides psychological and medical support to released detainees and assists them in establishing businesses to facilitate their reintegration into society.

The release of Idris is part of a broader internal review exercise initiated by the Service last year. The initiative aims to reassess inherited and prolonged detention cases to ensure that individuals held without sufficient evidence are not left in custody.

“The Service under the current DG has continued to show that safeguarding national security must go hand in hand with upholding the rights and dignity of citizens,” the source said.

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Army Approves Strategic Redeployment, Names New GOCs for 3 and 6 Divisions

Published

2 days ago

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June 27, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Army has announced a major reshuffle of its senior officers, with changes affecting key operational, command, training and staff appointments.

According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the reshuffle is part of efforts to strengthen national security and improve operational effectiveness across the country.

The statement added that the postings affected field commanders, school commandants and principal staff officers at the Army Headquarters.

It noted that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, approved the strategic redeployment of senior officers, saying the move was aimed at enhancing the Army’s capacity to address emerging security challenges.

Under the new appointments, Major General WM Dangana has been named the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander of Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE, replacing Major General EF Oyinlola.

Similarly, Major General EI Okoro has been appointed GOC 6 Division Nigerian Army and Land Component Commander of Joint Task Force South-South Operation DELTA SAFE, succeeding Major General EE Emeka.

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The statement also announced the appointment of Major General JR Lar as Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, while Brigadier General OM Oyekola will serve as Acting Military Secretary (Army). Brigadier General I Waziri retains his position as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff.

As part of efforts to strengthen operational leadership and combat readiness, Brigadier General IB Buhari was appointed Commander of Headquarters 63 Brigade, while Brigadier General K Rabiu was named Commander of Headquarters 31 Artillery Brigade.

In a move reflecting the Army’s growing emphasis on technology and emerging security threats, Major General SA Emmanuel was appointed Commander of the Nigerian Army Space Command.

The statement noted that the appointment “reinforces the Army’s growing focus on emerging domains of warfare and technology-driven security operations.”

Major General O Adegbe was also appointed Director of Intelligence and Security at Defence Headquarters.

In the area of military education and institutional development, Major General KE Chigbu was appointed Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, while Major General SD Makolo became Commandant of the Nigerian Army Armour School.

Other appointments include Major General SO Adejimi as Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport and Major General FS Etim as Chief of Training at the Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command, Nigerian Army (TRADOC).

Brigadier General U Ahmad has also been appointed Commandant of Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria.

The reshuffle further saw Major General KO Ukandu appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Post Housing Development Limited, while Major General AI Allison was named Managing Director of Defence Properties Limited.

The statement added, “The COAS charged the newly appointed senior officers to justify the confidence reposed in them by demonstrating exemplary leadership, professionalism, innovation and unwavering commitment to the Nigerian Army’s constitutional mandate of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its territorial integrity and supporting civil authority in maintaining peace and security across the nation.

“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its transformation drive and commitment to building a highly professional, combat-ready and people-oriented force capable of effectively addressing contemporary and future security challenges in pursuit of Nigeria’s national security objectives.”

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