Opposition demands suspension of tax implementation

The National Opposition Movement (NOM) has called on the federal government to suspend the implementation of the new tax reforms slated for January, saying “Nigeria is at a threshold of multidimensional failure.”

The movement championed by opposition leaders like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, former Governor of Edo State Odigie Oyegun, Lawal Batagarawa and Peter Obi said Nigerians are already suffering enough and the new Tax regime will compound their woes.

Addressing a world Press Conference at the Yar’Adua centre in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesman of the group, Honourable Chille Igbawua, said they rejected the new tax regime because “the timing is cruel, and the logic is irrational.”

Igbawua flanked by other members of the National Opposition Movement, including Salifu Lookman, Aisha Salifu, Solomon Damlung and Kenneth Okonkwo among several others said, “Fuel subsidy removal, naira collapse, food inflation, and rising electricity tariffs have already pushed households and small businesses to the edge.

“Introducing an aggressive tax regime now, confirms the widely held belief of a government dangerously out of touch with reality. As an oligarch and authoritarian, President Tinubu by this tax plan concentrates enormous powers in the hands of revenue authorities in a country with weak safeguards.

“Account access already being enforced, penalties, and automated enforcement without strong oversight invite abuse. When citizens fear the taxman more than they trust the government, something is fundamentally wrong,” they said.

The opposition members said they are with the NLC and the TUC in their efforts to fight for dignity and freedom of workers.

The group stated, “The situation in Nigeria today is terrible. Many Nigerians can barely afford food, transport, security, or pay their electricity bills and rents.

“It is sad that in a time as this, the Tinubu administration is preparing to roll out the most punitive and exploitative tax regime in the history of Nigeria. Even the colonial authority in its viciousness did not contemplate poor Nigerians the way Tinubu plans at the beginning of the year.

“The viciousness of this administration shows that Nigeria would be hit with these exploitative and inhuman tax regimes in January when they do not have the fiscal space for such sacrifices.

“This exploitative tax regime points to the thoughtlessness of the Tinubu administration and its unyielding commitment to cater to the financial interests of the oligarchs to the detriment of the ordinary Nigerians who he continues to punish with all manners of taxes and raising prices.

“Let us be clear, what President Tinubu is rolling out in January is not a tax reform; it is an assault on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians who he has not hidden his contempt and whose prosperity is not part of the agenda of his government.”

The opposition said, according to the new tax law, all adults of taxable age, whether employed or not, must file a tax return between January 1 and 31st March 2026 after which sanction for non-filing will begin to apply.

“For owners of companies, you must file for all your employees even if they are paid below the taxable bracket. Remember, you cannot make the filing if you do not have Tax Identification Number. This is so mindless. In a country where over 70 million are unemployed, where people do not have good access to internet services and where the level of service delivery from state institutions are poor or almost non-existent.

“President Tinubu has set up an exploitative racket against innocent Nigerians. This reads like a strategy from the infamous Lagos governance. Small and medium businesses are struggling to survive under a bad policy environment. Yet, Tinubu continues to pile pressure on them and does not provide any serious business support.

“By the new tax plan, Nigerians earning less than minimum wage will be heavily taxed. The government has removed all subsidies and exposed low wage earners and the unemployed to rate shock. Still, the government intends to overtax them, creating damaging human development and truncating any prospect of serious and sustained economic growth.”

The group which said government continues to ask Nigerians to give more and more, added that “it allows those in public office to take more and more. Tinubu has brought Nigerians to their knees. But Tinubu will not relent till he brings Nigerians to the grave. We will not allow suffering Nigerians to be brought to the grave.

“We, as Nigerian Opposition Movement, have decided to stand up in support of those opposition politicians who issued the letter a few days ago and the NLC and TUC to say enough is enough.

“This tax plan must not take off now. Its implementation must be suspended immediately. This is not tax reform. This tax is a weapon fashioned against the economic wellbeing and social security of suffering and poor Nigerian citizens.

“This government is asking Nigerians who have already been brought down on their knees by the weight of poverty and squalor and have nothing left to give, to give more. No. You cannot tax hunger. You cannot tax poverty. And you cannot tax people into prosperity.”

Igbawua said, “Since President Tinubu came to power, he has shown where his heart is.” It is not with the Nigerian people. It is with the few oligarchs who are attached to his economic and political interest. The bad policies of the administration are intentionally so because President Tinubu is not committed to the prosperity of ordinary citizens. He is committed to getting and keeping political power as a tool of creating wealth for himself and his family and friends.

“This is bad for Nigeria. As leaders of conscience, we cannot justify Tinubu’s exploitative taxes against the poor in Nigeria because there is no evidence of prudence or due process in this administration.

“For the past 2 years and more, we have witnessed the most expansive state capture in Nigerian history. The nation’s revenue agencies like the NNPC and FIRS are reeking with grand corruption. The Tinubu administration does not recognize transparency and accountability. It continues to conduct its business in secrecy as if the Nigerian federation has become Tinubu family incorporated.

“For instance, why would the FIRS enter an MOU with a French agency regarding management of Nigerian tax regime and refuse to publicly disclose the contents of the MOU, especially in the circumstances where Tinubu has made France his second home and business center?

“Does public interest not dictate that FIRS publishes the MOU since Nigerians are worried at the prospect of the business deal with France compromising Nigeria’s strategic national interests. Since President Tinubu came to power, it has been one allegation and report of one high-level grand corruption or another, starting with the mind-boggling corruption of the former Minister of Humanitarian Services whose corruption cases have been swept under carpet.

“For the first time in history, a leading Nigerian private sector businessman is openly accusing Tinubu’s top regulator of brazen corruption. This has never been seen or heard in Nigeria. President Tinubu’s idea of public leadership has no place for social contract, no place for due process or protection of national norms and institutional standards.”

The movement which called for “immediate suspension of the tax plan’s take-off date” added that “nationwide consultation involving labour, civil society, SMEs, professionals, and state governments” should be initiated to decide the best way forward.

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