The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the 2025 tax laws, citing what it described as the alleged “forgery” of key provisions.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party accused the government of altering sections of the laws and inserting what it termed “criminal provisions” that allegedly grant the Tinubu administration sweeping powers to arrest individuals and seize property for non-compliance with tax regulations.
“The ADC therefore calls for the immediate suspension of all the 2025 tax laws signed by President Bola Tinubu to allow for a comprehensive legislative review,” the party said. It warned that proceeding otherwise could undermine the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
According to the ADC, a “forensic review” comparing the versions of the bills passed by the National Assembly with the gazetted laws revealed that key accountability clauses were removed, while new provisions conferring coercive enforcement powers on the Executive without judicial oversight were allegedly inserted.
The party argued that the alleged changes went beyond taxation, accusing the government of undermining democratic institutions and due process. It also called for a full investigation and the prosecution of any officials found culpable in what it described as an act of forgery that threatens democracy.
President Bola Tinubu signed the four tax reform bills into law in June after months of debate. The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, with implementation scheduled to begin in January 2026.
The controversy followed claims by a House of Representatives member, Abdussamad Dasuki, that the gazetted versions of the laws differed from those passed by the National Assembly. The allegations have since drawn criticism from opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who also called for a halt to implementation.
However, the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has dismissed the concerns, insisting that the Federal Government is not introducing new laws contrary to public speculation.
0 Comments