The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Federal Government to immediately suspend the implementation of the 2025 tax reform laws, alleging that provisions approved by the National Assembly were altered before being gazetted and signed into law.
In a statement released on Saturday, the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the government of tampering with the laws by removing key accountability clauses and inserting new sections that were never debated or approved by lawmakers.
According to him, some of the alleged additions confer sweeping enforcement powers on the executive arm of government, including authority to arrest individuals and take over property in cases of non-compliance with tax regulations.
The ADC described these alleged changes as “criminal insertions” and warned that allowing the laws to stand without review would undermine constitutional governance.
The party therefore called for the suspension of all the tax laws signed by President Bola Tinubu until a comprehensive legislative verification is carried out.
Abdullahi, a former member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said the issue goes beyond routine policy disagreement and strikes at the heart of Nigeria’s democratic system.
He argued that permitting the executive to enforce tax laws without judicial oversight violates the principle of separation of powers guaranteed by the Constitution.
The opposition party said its position followed what it described as a “forensic comparison” between the versions of the bills passed by the National Assembly and the copies later published as law.
The review, the ADC claimed, revealed clear discrepancies, including the deletion of safeguards meant to ensure accountability and the insertion of clauses that grant coercive powers to the executive without recourse to the courts.
According to the ADC, these alleged changes suggest a broader pattern of disregard for democratic institutions.
The party accused the government of operating without ethical restraint and pursuing its agenda at the expense of constitutional norms.
In addition to calling for the suspension of the laws, the ADC demanded a full-scale investigation into the matter.
It also asked for the prosecution of any public official found to have participated in what it described as an act of forgery that threatens Nigeria’s democracy.
The statement was issued under the leadership of the party’s chairman, former Senate President David Mark.
President Bola Tinubu had signed four major tax reform bills into law in June after months of intense debate among lawmakers and stakeholders.
The legislation included the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
The Federal Government has slated January 2026 for their implementation.
The controversy intensified recently after a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns on the floor of the chamber, alleging that some provisions in the gazetted versions of the laws did not reflect what legislators had approved.
Following these claims, several opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, joined calls for the Federal Government to pause the implementation of the tax reforms pending clarification and review.
However, the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has dismissed suggestions that the government introduced new laws through the process.
He maintained that the reforms remain consistent with the intent of the legislation passed by the National Assembly.
As the debate continues, pressure is mounting on the Federal Government to address the allegations and reassure Nigerians about the integrity of the new tax regime ahead of its planned rollout in 2026.
