The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Federal Government to suspend the four 2025 tax reform laws signed by President Tinubu, citing forgery, deletion of accountability clauses, and new coercive powers that threaten democracy
ADC Urges Immediate Suspension of Tinubu’s 2025 Tax Laws, Alleges Forgery and ‘Criminal Insertions’
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Federal Government to immediately suspend the implementation of the four major tax reform laws signed by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025, accusing the administration of forgery and the insertion of “criminal provisions” that undermine democracy.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, December 20, 2025, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi—who previously served in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—described the alleged alterations as a deliberate assault on the separation of powers.
The party claimed that a forensic comparison of the original bills passed by the National Assembly and the gazetted versions revealed that key accountability provisions had been deleted, while new coercive powers were inserted without legislative approval.
“These insertions grant the Bola Tinubu government the express power to arrest and take over the property of anyone who does not comply with the tax laws,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC further argued that the changes “go beyond taxation” and reflect “the criminal mindset of a government that has no ethical boundaries, has no regard for democratic institutions, and will do anything to pursue its narrow, selfish agenda.”
The party demanded the immediate suspension of the four laws—Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act—set to take effect January 1, 2026, to allow for a full legislative review.
“This is the only reasonable course of action if we must not give the dangerous impression that the principle of separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution can be sidestepped by the President,” the statement read.
The ADC also called for a thorough investigation and prosecution of any government official found culpable in what it described as an act of forgery that “strikes at the very heart of our democracy.”
The controversy erupted after House of Representatives member Abdussamad Dasuki raised the alarm over discrepancies between the passed bills and the gazetted versions. Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi had earlier described the situation as a shift from “padded budgets to forged laws.”
The ADC’s demand adds to mounting pressure on the Tinubu administration to address the allegations. However, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has dismissed the claims, insisting that no new laws were introduced and that the gazetted versions accurately reflect the approved reforms.
The four laws represent a landmark overhaul of Nigeria’s tax administration, aimed at simplifying compliance, boosting revenue, and modernizing fiscal operations. Critics, however, argue that the alleged alterations threaten due process, judicial independence, and citizens’ rights. Read More
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