Former Vice President has accused the administration of President of illegally altering Nigeria’s tax reform legislation after its passage by the , describing the alleged action as an act of treason against the Nigerian people and a grave assault on constitutional democracy.
In a strongly worded press release shared via Facebook, Atiku alleged that substantive and far-reaching provisions were inserted into the tax bills after lawmakers had concluded deliberations and passed them, in violation of Sections 4 and 58 of the 1999 Constitution, which clearly define legislative powers and the law-making process. He warned that such post-passage alterations undermine legislative supremacy and set a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.
According to the former vice president, the alleged insertions include coercive enforcement powers granting tax authorities the ability to arrest citizens, seize property, and conduct enforcement sales without court orders or judicial oversight. He argued that these measures effectively transform tax officials into quasi-law enforcement agents and strip Nigerians of due process protections that lawmakers intentionally preserved during parliamentary consideration.
Atiku further alleged that the altered provisions significantly increase the financial burden on citizens and businesses. These include a mandatory 20 percent security deposit before taxpayers can appeal assessments, the imposition of compound interest on tax debts, expanded quarterly reporting requirements with lower thresholds, and compulsory United States dollar-based computations for petroleum operations. He said such measures would discourage legitimate appeals, raise compliance costs, and further strain an economy already grappling with inflation, unemployment, and widespread poverty.
The former vice president also accused the executive of removing key accountability and oversight mechanisms from the law, including mandatory quarterly and annual reports to the National Assembly, strategic planning submission requirements, and ministerial supervisory controls. He warned that stripping away these safeguards while expanding enforcement powers reflects authoritarian tendencies and insulates the government from democratic scrutiny.
Placing the controversy within Nigeria’s broader economic context, Atiku argued that the government is prioritizing aggressive revenue extraction over policies that empower citizens and expand the tax base organically. He noted that with poverty levels remaining high and purchasing power eroding, punitive taxation and weakened legal protections would only deepen hardship rather than stimulate growth.
Atiku called for immediate action on multiple fronts. He urged the executive to suspend implementation of the tax law scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, pending a thorough investigation. He also called on the National Assembly to correct any illegal alterations through proper legislative procedures and hold those responsible accountable, while urging the judiciary to strike down any unconstitutional provisions and reaffirm the sanctity of the legislative process.
Additionally, he appealed to civil society organisations and Nigerians at large to reject what he described as an assault on democratic principles, and called on the to investigate and prosecute anyone found culpable in the alleged illegal alteration of the law.
“What the National Assembly did not pass cannot become law,” Atiku declared, warning that failure to defend this principle risks sliding into arbitrary rule where constitutional safeguards are rendered meaningless. He concluded that Nigerians deserve governance rooted in accountability, constitutional compliance, and economic policies that build prosperity rather than entrench poverty.