The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a stern demand for the immediate suspension of the newly enacted tax laws signed by President Bola Tinubu, which are set to take effect on January 1, 2026. This call to action follows serious allegations that the legislation officially gazetted by the executive branch contains significant and unauthorized alterations that differ from the bills originally passed by the National Assembly.
Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, released a statement on Saturday condemning the alleged discrepancies. The party characterizes these changes not merely as clerical errors, but as a deliberate act of forgery and a “direct assault on constitutional governance.” The core of the ADC’s grievance lies in the assertion that the executive branch has tampered with legislative documents to grant itself excessive coercive powers that were never approved by the nation’s lawmakers.
According to the ADC, a forensic review of the original bills passed by the 469 members of the National Assembly compared against the version signed by President Tinubu reveals that key accountability provisions were systematically deleted. In their place, the party alleges that new clauses were inserted which empower the executive to bypass the judiciary in the enforcement of tax collection. Specifically, the ADC claims that one of the “criminal insertions” grants the federal government the express power to arrest individuals and seize the property of non-compliant taxpayers without first seeking recourse through the courts.
The opposition party argues that such tampering effectively concentrates legislative power within the presidency, violating the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution. “To accept that the Executive could whimsically insert or remove even a punctuation mark from a piece of legislation after it has been passed by the legislature is to arrogate law-making powers to the Executive arm of government,” Abdullahi stated. He warned that this precedent suggests a “totalitarian instinct” within the current administration, aiming to consolidate power at the expense of democratic institutions.
Beyond the procedural and constitutional violations, the ADC also expressed deep concern over the economic impact of the new laws. The party stated unequivocally that it would not support any taxation measures likely to compound the misery and hardship already faced by Nigerian citizens and businesses. However, they emphasized that the current crisis transcends mere economic policy; it strikes at the ethical boundaries of governance.
To remedy the situation, the ADC has outlined specific demands. First, they require the immediate suspension of all 2025 tax laws to allow the legislature to conduct a comprehensive review and determine the full extent of the alterations. Second, the party is calling for a public inquiry to investigate how these unauthorized changes were made. Finally, they demand the immediate prosecution of any government official found culpable in what they term an “act of forgery.”
The controversy highlights a growing rift between the opposition and the ruling administration regarding transparency and adherence to due process. The ADC maintains that allowing these laws to stand would send a dangerous message that the executive is above the Constitution. By bypassing the checks and balances designed to protect citizens, the administration, according to the ADC, is pursuing a “narrow, selfish agenda” that threatens the very foundation of Nigeria’s democracy. The party insists that only a full legislative review and judicial accountability can restore public trust in the country’s law-making process.
