By Mark Orgu, News/Comments
The alleged inconsistency in the new tax reform laws continued to raise eyebrows as prominent Nigerians have called for probe. The tax laws will take effect from January 1, 2026, and were signed by President Bola Tinubu. This is even as some lawmakers have alleged foul play. Meanwhile, according a Sokoto lawmaker, Abdussamad Dasuki, who led others alleged that there were discrepancies between the harmonized bills passed by both House of representatives and the Senate, different from the gazette copy.
Reacting to the ugly and unfortunate event, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP have all called for suspension and implementation until clarification is made, and went further to give federal government seven days to halt any further step even as the Presidency dismissed such claims of secret alterations and insisted that the reforms would progress.
SERAP in their statement on X, (SerapNigeria), said further, “We’ve urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently direct Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to widely publish a certified true copy of the version of the tax bills received from the National Assembly and a certified true copy of the tax laws signed by him.
The documents requested by SERAP are: the National Revenue Service (Establishment) Act; the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act; and the Nigeria Tax Act”.
“We also urged him to direct Mr Lateef Fagbemi to clarify whether the version of the tax bills received from the National Assembly are exactly the same contents as the bills that were signed into laws by you and the version ultimately gazette.
Widely publishing a certified true copy of the version of the tax bills received from the National Assembly and a certified true copy of the tax laws signed by President Bola Tinubu would allow Nigerians to scrutinise the laws and compare them with the version of the tax laws ultimately gazette”.
Meanwhile, former Governor of Anambra State, and 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr, Peter Obi has described the alleged alteration of the news tax laws as a national disgrace and shame of no nation. Obi in his X handle, @PeterObi, wrote:
“Our national shame continues to unfold, evident in the decisions made by our leaders, even at the highest levels of government. This shame is highlighted by a deeply troubling—and frankly unacceptable—issue: the documented discrepancies between what the legislature passed and what was ultimately published as law by the executive. This is not merely an administrative oversight; it is a serious matter that strikes at the core of constitutional governance and reveals the extent of our institutional decay”.
“We have transitioned from a Nigeria where budgets are padded to one where laws are forged—changes that impact taxpayers’ rights and, most importantly, access to justice”.
“Even more alarming is the introduction of new enforcement and coercive powers that the House of Representatives never approved. These include an outrageous requirement for a mandatory 20% deposit before appeals can be heard in court, asset sales without judicial oversight, and the granting of arrest powers to tax authorities”.
“Perhaps most disturbing is the silence of the Presidency on a matter involving allegations of forgery, institutional sabotage, and abuse of process. Who made these alterations?
All of this must be made public. Nigerians need to understand what was signed, what was passed, and what was formally recorded. We cannot continue to ask citizens to pay more taxes while trust in governance collapses”.
“We need leadership that follows due process, embraces transparency and accountability, and respects the rule of law. No nation can thrive where laws are forged and silence replaces leadership”.
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