The African Democratic Congress has accused President Bola Tinubu's administration of forging provisions in recently passed tax laws. The party demands immediate suspension of the laws and a public inquiry into the alleged alterations. Concerns are mounting as more lawmakers reject the gazetted versions.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised serious allegations against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's government, claiming that the final versions of tax laws signed into effect contain forged provisions not present in the original bills passed by the National Assembly. According to a statement by ADC's National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party's forensic review revealed that key accountability measures were deleted, while new clauses were inserted granting the executive coercive powers, such as the authority to arrest individuals and seize property for non-compliance without judicial oversight.
The new tax laws are set to take effect on January 1, 2026, but ADC described them as draconian and called for their immediate suspension to allow legislative review. 'The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reviewed various reports which confirm doubts that the various tax laws which were passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu contain substantial forgery of key provisions that were not in the original law passed by the legislature,' the statement read.
ADC warned that such tampering signals a desire to concentrate power in the executive, undermining constitutional governance and the separation of powers. 'More fundamentally, it is indicative of the totalitarian instincts of a President desirous of concentrating all powers of government to himself, even if it means violating the very constitution from which he derives his authority,' the party stated.
The opposition party further demanded a full public inquiry and prosecution of those responsible, emphasizing that altering legislation after passage by 469 elected representatives assaults democracy. Separately, concerns have deepened as two more lawmakers have objected to the gazetted tax laws, citing alleged alterations to the versions approved by the National Assembly. ADC reiterated its opposition to tax reforms that exacerbate citizen hardships, framing the issue as a broader ethical breach by the government.
