ADC Calls for Suspension of Tinubu’s Tax Laws over Alleged Post-Passage Alteration

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate suspension of President Bola Tinubu’s tax laws billed to take effect on January 1, 2026, alleging that provisions not approved by the National Assembly were inserted after legislative passage.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the versions of the laws assented to by the President differ materially from those harmonised and passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

According to the ADC, any alteration of a bill after it has been duly passed by the legislature constitutes a grave breach of the constitution and an affront to the doctrine of separation of powers.

“For the avoidance of doubt, under our constitution, only the legislature has the power to make laws. Any legislation that has not followed the constitutionally prescribed process cannot stand,” Abdullahi said.

He warned that allowing the executive arm to insert or delete provisions—even punctuation—after passage by parliament would amount to usurping the law-making powers of the legislature, a development he described as dangerous to Nigeria’s democracy.

The party demanded that all the tax laws signed by President Tinubu be suspended to allow for a comprehensive legislative review by the National Assembly, aimed at expunging what it described as “extraneous provisions” allegedly introduced by the executive.

“This is the only reasonable course of action if we are not to create the dangerous impression that the principle of separation of powers enshrined in our constitution can be set aside at the discretion of the President,” the statement added.

The ADC also called for a public inquiry into what it termed “criminal alterations” of duly passed legislation, insisting that those found culpable should be prosecuted.

Abdullahi said the party’s position followed a forensic review of the original bills and the gazetted versions, which, according to him, revealed the deletion of key accountability clauses and the insertion of new provisions granting coercive enforcement powers to the executive without recourse to the courts.

“For instance, one of the alleged insertions confers express powers on the government to arrest individuals and take over property for non-compliance with the tax laws,” he said.

Reiterating its opposition to tax measures that could worsen the economic hardship faced by Nigerians and businesses, the ADC stressed that the issue transcends taxation.

“It reflects a mindset that shows little regard for democratic institutions and constitutional governance,” the party said, adding that altering legislation passed by 469 elected representatives amounts to a direct assault on democracy.

The ADC urged security and anti-corruption agencies to investigate the matter fully and ensure the immediate prosecution of any officials involved in the alleged forgery.