Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Federal Government of illegally altering Nigeria’s tax reform laws after they were passed by the National Assembly.
Atiku made the allegation in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), where he described the alleged post-passage changes as a grave constitutional violation and an attack on democratic governance.
According to Atiku, the executive arm allegedly inserted new provisions into the tax bills after parliamentary approval, in violation of Sections 4 and 58 of the 1999 Constitution.
He claimed the changes granted tax authorities coercive powers that were not approved by lawmakers, including arrest powers, property seizure and garnishment without court orders, as well as enforcement sales 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 alleged that the revised laws impose heavier financial burdens on citizens and businesses, such as a mandatory 20 per cent security deposit before appealing tax assessments, compound interest on tax debts, quarterly reporting requirements with lower thresholds, and compulsory dollar-based computation for petroleum operations.
Atiku further accused the government of removing key accountability mechanisms from the laws, including mandatory quarterly and annual reporting to the National Assembly, strategic planning submissions, and ministerial supervisory provisions.
He argued that the alleged alterations show a government focused on “extracting wealth from struggling citizens rather than empowering them to prosper”, at a time when poverty, unemployment and inflation continue to worsen living conditions across the country.
The former vice president called for the immediate suspension of the implementation of the tax laws, which are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, to allow for a full investigation.
He urged the National Assembly to rectify what he described as illegal alterations and hold those responsible accountable, while also calling on the judiciary to strike down any unconstitutional provisions.
