Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has described as treason the alleged alterations of the new tax laws.
There has been outrage over alleged discrepancies between
tax bills passed by the National Assembly and the version gazetted by the
Presidency.
In a statement on Tuesday, Atiku said the illegal and
unauthorized alterations represent a “brazen act of treason against the
Nigerian people, stressing that it is a direct assault on the nation’s
constitutional democracy.
According to him, the alleged “draconian overreach by the
executive branch undermines the foundational principle of legislative supremacy
in the making of laws.
The former VP noted that the decision of the Presidency
reveals a “government more interested in extracting wealth from struggling
citizens than empowering them to prosper.
In the statement, Atiku outlined details that were illegally
inserted into the tax bills by the Presidency after it was passed by the
lawmakers.
Atiku’s statement read: “The following substantive changes
were allegedly illegally inserted into the tax bills after parliamentary
approval, in clear violation of Sections 4 and 58 of the 1999 Constitution:
“New Coercive Powers Without Legislative Consent
“Arrest powers granted to tax authorities
Property seizure and garnishment without court orders
“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.
“Increased Financial Burdens on Citizens
“Mandatory 20% security deposit before appealing tax
assessments
Compound interest on tax debts
“Quarterly reporting requirements with lowered thresholds
“Forced USD computation for petroleum operations
“These changes erect financial barriers that prevent
ordinary Nigerians from challenging unjust assessments while increasing
compliance costs for businesses already struggling in a difficult economy.
“Removal of Accountability Mechanisms
“Deletion of quarterly and annual reporting obligations to
the National Assembly
“Elimination of strategic planning submission requirements
“Removal of ministerial supervisory provisions
“By stripping away oversight mechanisms, the government has
insulated itself from accountability while expanding its powers—a hallmark of
authoritarian governance.
“A Government Against Its People. This constitutional
violation exposes a troubling reality: a government obsessed with imposing
ever-increasing tax burdens on impoverished Nigerians rather than creating
conditions for prosperity. Instead of investing in infrastructure, education,
healthcare, and economic empowerment that would expand the tax base
organically, this administration chooses the path of aggressive extraction from
an already struggling populace.
“Nigeria’s poverty rate remains alarmingly high,
unemployment continues to devastate families, and inflation erodes purchasing
power daily. Yet rather than supporting citizens to become more productive,
thereby generating sustainable tax revenues, the government employs draconian
measures to squeeze resources from people who have little left to survive.
“True economic growth comes from empowering citizens, not
impoverishing them further through punitive taxation and erosion of legal
protections. A thriving economy with prosperous citizens naturally generates
robust tax revenues. But this requires vision, investment, and patience,
qualities evidently lacking in an administration that resorts to constitutional
manipulation to achieve short-term fiscal goals.
“I hereby call upon: The Executive to immediately suspend
the implementation of the tax law effective January 1, 2026 to give room for a
proper investigation.
“The National Assembly to immediately rectify these illegal
alterations through proper legislative processes and hold accountable those
responsible for this constitutional breach.
“The Judiciary to strike down these unconstitutional
provisions and reaffirm the sanctity of the legislative process.
“Civil Society and all Nigerians to reject this assault on
democratic principles and demand governance that serves the people rather than
exploiting them.
“The Government abandoned this path of extraction and
oppression, and instead focused on policies that enable Nigerian citizens and
businesses to thrive.
“The EFCC to immediately investigate and prosecute those
found culpable in the illegal alteration of our laws to extort and defraud the
Nigerian people.
“What the National Assembly did not pass cannot become law.
This fundamental principle must be defended, or we risk descending into
arbitrary rules where constitutional safeguards mean nothing.”
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