The leadership of the House of Representatives has disowned the adhoc committee constituted by the Minority Caucus to investigate alleged alterations to the tax laws.
A statement by the House Spokesperson, Akin Rotimi Jnr explained that under the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, the authority to constitute an adhoc committee of the House rests solely with the House acting in plenary, or with the Speaker exercising powers conferred under the Standing Orders as no political caucus, whether majority or minority, possesses the procedural authority to establish a committee that carries the status of a parliamentary body.
The statement maintains that while political caucuses remain important platforms for consultation and coordination among Members but do not possess institutional authority within the House and do not possess investigative authority, oversight jurisdiction, or the power to summon persons or demand official documents, insisting that any action taken by a caucus in this regard is therefore non-binding, informal, and without legal or institutional consequence.
Rotimi Jnr through the statement noted that any interim or final report emanating from such a caucus-led body cannot be laid before the House, cannot be received as a parliamentary document, and does not form part of the official legislative or oversight record of the National Assembly.
The House says it considers the action attributed to the Minority Caucus to be procedurally improper, inconsistent with parliamentary norms, liable to set an unwholesome precedent, and to create unnecessary public confusion, particularly since the matter has already been addressed through established parliamentary mechanisms.
The statement condemned the establishment of a parallel caucus-led committee and the circulation of purported interim findings on an issue that has been institutionally resolved and overtaken by events, advising members of the public against reports emanating from committees not constituted or authorised by the House or the Speaker.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
