The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for the immediate suspension of Nigeria’s recently introduced tax laws, alleging that critical provisions were altered after the bills were passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The party described the alleged modifications as a grave constitutional breach that undermines democratic governance and the principle of separation of powers.

In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed concern over what he termed discrepancies between the tax bills approved by lawmakers and the versions subsequently released to the public.

Abdullahi said the alleged alterations raise serious questions about respect for legislative authority and constitutional procedures, warning that such actions, if proven, suggest an attempt by the Executive to centralise power.

The party’s reaction followed a point of privilege raised on Dec. 17 by Rep. Abdussamad Dasuki (PDP–Sokoto) during plenary in the House of Representatives. Dasuki had drawn the attention of the House to reported differences between the harmonised tax bills passed by the National Assembly and the gazetted versions made public after presidential assent.
According to the ADC, these discrepancies necessitate an immediate halt to the implementation of the tax laws to enable the legislature to thoroughly review the alleged changes and take corrective measures where necessary.

“The African Democratic Congress has reviewed various reports which confirm doubts that the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu contain substantial alterations of key provisions that were not part of the original legislation approved by lawmakers,” the statement said.

The party further claimed that its own review of the original bills and the gazetted laws revealed that key accountability provisions were removed, while new clauses allegedly granting expansive coercive powers to the Executive were inserted.

Abdullahi alleged that some of the new provisions empower government agencies to arrest individuals and take over property for non-compliance with tax obligations, without recourse to the courts.

He reiterated that while the ADC has consistently opposed tax measures it believes would worsen the economic hardship faced by citizens and businesses, the present issue transcends taxation.

“This matter goes beyond tax policy. It reflects a mindset that shows disregard for democratic institutions, constitutional boundaries and the rule of law,” the statement added.

The party described any post-legislative alteration of laws as a direct assault on constitutional governance, stressing that only the legislature is empowered by the Constitution to make laws.

“Altering legislation and gazetting it after it has been passed by 469 elected representatives of the Nigerian people is a direct assault on constitutional governance. It is indicative of totalitarian tendencies by a President seeking to concentrate power, even if it means violating the Constitution from which he derives his authority,” the ADC stated.

The opposition party called for a full investigation into the alleged alterations and demanded the swift prosecution of any government official found culpable.

“For the avoidance of doubt, any legislation not passed strictly in accordance with constitutional provisions cannot stand. To accept that the Executive can insert or remove even a punctuation mark after passage is to usurp legislative authority and poses a grave danger to our democracy,” the statement said.

The ADC therefore urged the immediate suspension of all 2025 tax laws signed by President Tinubu to allow for a comprehensive legislative review, which it described as the only reasonable step to safeguard constitutional order and the separation of powers.

The party also reiterated its demand for a thorough investigation and the prosecution of any officials involved in the alleged forgery of legislative documents, warning that failure to address the matter could set a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.