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ADC accuses Tinubu administration of altering tax laws after National Assembly approval
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Party calls for immediate suspension of the 2025 tax laws ahead of January 2026 implementation
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ADC demands probe, warning of threats to democracy and separation of powers
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate suspension of the tax reform laws signed by President Bola Tinubu, alleging that the versions gazetted into law were altered after being passed by the National Assembly.
In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the tax laws scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, contain provisions that were not approved by lawmakers.
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According to the ADC, a review comparing the original bills passed by the legislature and the final gazetted copies revealed significant discrepancies, including the removal of accountability clauses and the insertion of new provisions.
The party alleged that some of the inserted clauses grant sweeping powers to the executive, including authority to arrest individuals and take over property for non-compliance with tax regulations, without adequate judicial oversight.
Abdullahi said any alteration of legislation after parliamentary approval amounts to legislative forgery and represents a dangerous concentration of power in the executive arm of government.
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He warned that such actions undermine constitutional governance and violate the principle of separation of powers enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution.
The ADC therefore demanded that the tax laws be suspended immediately to allow the National Assembly investigate the alleged alterations and take corrective action.
The party also called for a public inquiry into how the changes were made and urged the prosecution of any government official found culpable.
Describing the alleged alterations as evidence of “totalitarian instincts,” the ADC said allowing the executive to modify laws after passage would set a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
The opposition party reiterated that only the legislature has the constitutional authority to make laws, stressing that any interference with that process poses a serious threat to democratic institutions.
