Atiku, NBA Raise Concern over Alleged Alteration of Tax Laws, Demand Suspension

•Rights group seeks halt to implementation

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday raised concern over alleged unconstitutional alterations to Nigeria’s recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, describing the developments as a brazen assault on the country’s democratic and legislative processes.

In a press statement, Atiku called the illegal modifications “an act of treason against the Nigerian people,” accusing the executive branch of undermining legislative supremacy and stripping citizens of fundamental due process protections.

He highlighted provisions granting tax authorities coercive powers, including arrest powers, property seizure without court orders, and enforcement sales conducted without judicial oversight.

“These provisions transform tax collectors into quasi-law enforcement agencies, stripping Nigerians of due process protections that the National Assembly deliberately included,” Atiku said.

He also criticised the introduction of mandatory 20 per cent security deposits for tax appeals, compound interest on tax debts, forced dollar computation for petroleum operations, and other measures that he said increase financial burdens on citizens while removing key accountability mechanisms.

Atiku urged the federal government to immediately suspend the implementation of the tax law effective January 1, 2026, pending a thorough investigation. He also called on the National Assembly to rectify the illegal alterations, and the judiciary to strike down unconstitutional provisions, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate those responsible.

For his part, the NBA, led by its President, Mr. Afam Osigwe (SAN) echoed Atiku’s concerns, stressing that the controversies surrounding the Tax Reform Act undermine public confidence in the legislative process and create legal and policy uncertainty that threatens economic stability.

The NBA described the situation as a “grave concern” for Nigeria’s constitutional democracy and demanded an open, transparent investigation to restore credibility to the lawmaking process.

“The integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process are at stake,” Osigwe said.

“Until these issues are fully examined and resolved, all plans for implementation of the Tax Reform Acts should be suspended. Anything short of transparent legislative action undermines public trust and weakens lawful governance,” he added.

Both Atiku and the NBA warned that failure to act decisively risks entrenching arbitrary rule, weakening democratic safeguards, and imposing undue hardship on Nigerians.

They called on all stakeholders to prioritise constitutional compliance, accountability, and policies that enable citizens and businesses to thrive.

Meanwhile, the Centre for African Human Rights (CAHR) has called for the immediate suspension of the Tax Reform Acts recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, which are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.

In a statement issued yesterday in Bauchi, the group’s Chief Human Rights Field Officer and Executive Director, Scholar Suleiman, urged Nigerian lawmakers to take urgent action in the interest of peace, transparency, and national development.

According to the statement, concerns arose following revelations by Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives, during a recent plenary session of the National Assembly.

Dasuki reportedly alleged that the version of the Tax Reform Acts signed and gazetted into law by the government differed from the bill debated, approved, and transmitted by the National Assembly for presidential assent.

The centre described the allegation as grave and capable of undermining democratic governance if left unaddressed.

The human rights organisation therefore called on the National Assembly to immediately institute a thorough, meticulous, and joint investigation to uncover and address any discrepancies between the legislation passed by the legislature and the version assented to by the President.

“Our democracy has come to stay, and Nigeria is greater than any political party affiliation or group,” the statement added.