News
ADC, federal lawmakers demand suspension of Gazetted Tax Laws over alleged forgery, alteration
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and two members of the House of Representatives – Hon. Muhammad Bello Fagge, representing Fagge Federal Constituency of Kano State, and Hon. Yusuf Shitu Galambi, representing Gwaram Federal Constituency in Jigawa State – have called for the immediate suspension of the tax laws, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulsammad Dasuki (PDP Sokoto), raised a matter of privilege on the floor of the House last Wednesday, alleging discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions subsequently gazetted and made available to the public.
Under Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules, on a Point of Privilege, Dasuki told the House that his legislative privilege had been breached, insisting that the content of the tax laws as gazetted did not reflect what lawmakers had debated, voted on, and passed on the floor of the House.
Presiding over the plenary, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate discrepancies between the tax bills passed and the versions later assented to and gazetted.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC yesterday warned that tampering with a piece of legislation after the National Assembly had passed it was an indication that President Bola Tinubu desires to concentrate all powers onto himself.
The opposition party demanded the immediate suspension of the tax laws to allow the legislature to determine the extent of alleged forgery inserted by the Tinubu administration and to take the necessary corrective actions.
It also called for a public inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the criminal alterations of a duly passed law, and to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
The ADC said it has reviewed various reports that confirm doubts that the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Tinubu contain substantial forgery of key provisions not in the original law passed by the legislature.
According to Abdullahi, ADC’s forensic review of the original laws and the gazetted versions has established beyond a doubt that key accountability provisions were deleted and new provisions inserted, granting the Executive coercive powers to enforce tax laws without recourse to the courts. For example, one of the criminal provisions in the law grants the Bola Tinubu government the express power to arrest and seize the property of anyone who does not comply with the tax laws.
The ADC’s position on the so-called tax reforms is clear. We do not support any tax that would compound the misery and hardship already faced by citizens and businesses. But this issue goes beyond taxation. It speaks to 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 ADC therefore called for the immediate suspension of all 2025 tax laws signed by President Tinubu to allow for a full legislative review.
Speaking in a BBC Hausa’s Ra’ayi Riga programme, Hon. Fagge said the opposition had initially objected to the bills, a move that led to wider consultations across the country before their eventual passage.
“We in the opposition initially objected to the tax bills because of fears that certain provisions could be introduced without proper scrutiny. This led the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to convene a committee that traveled across the country, met with traditional rulers and governors, and asked them to submit their grievances and suggestions to the National Assembly. After that process, the bills were harmonised and approved,” he said.
Fagge said the controversy arose when the gazetted versions of the laws differed from what lawmakers approved.
“However, when the laws were later gazetted, what appeared was different from what we approved in Parliament. There were discrepancies, meaning that what was signed is not what we at the National Assembly passed,” he said.
He cited the Nigeria Revenue Service Act, noting discrepancies in Section 25 (accounts and audit) and Sections 26 and 30, and added that the Joint Revenue Board Act also contains discrepancies, particularly in Sections 9, 14, 30, 40, and 44.
“Even if it is just one part that is different from what we agreed, there is a problem,” he added.
The lawmaker warned that some provisions appear to have transferred powers from the legislature and the judiciary to the Executive, particularly to the Nigeria Revenue Service.
“There is no way the legislature will make a law without giving itself oversight functions. That is the essence of checks and balances. The issue goes beyond party politics. This is not about opposition politics. This is about saving Nigeria.”
Also speaking in the programme, Hon. Galambi said public opposition to taxation is often driven by mistrust over how the government spends public funds.
“We all know that people do not like taxes because of the mistrust they have about how the government utilises their money. But if people are certain and have trust, nobody will object,” he said.
Galambi described the allegations of alterations as disturbing, though unproven, and said the National Assembly has established a committee to investigate the matter.
He urged the government to suspend implementation of the tax laws scheduled for January 2026 pending the committee’s findings.
“If alterations are found, the law should be brought back and corrected in line with what the legislators passed. If nothing is found, then implementation can go ahead,” Galambi said.
He also raised concerns about alleged changes that grant the Nigeria Revenue Service enforcement powers without court orders, contrary to what lawmakers approved.
“We said enforcement should only be with a court order. If the court order requirement has been removed, it can create tension in the country, and people will not agree with it,” he said. (Thisday)
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has disclosed that there are two main reasons a former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, is being detained by the commission.
It also revealed that legal action was taken against the Enugu-born politician after he failed to honour several invitations extended to him through a letter referenced ICPC/HC/CSTF/GUN/GBT/T.1/VOLV16, and dated 15 May 2026.
John Odey, the spokesman of the commission in a statement on Wednesday explained that the commission later approached Federal High Court, Abuja Division, with the suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1160/2026) in order to effect Nnaji’s arrest after his failure to honour invitation.
Nnaji was arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, when he boarded a private jet to Abuja.
Corroborating the development, the ICPC spokesman said Nnaji’s arrest was effected at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon his arrival where he was led to the commission’s custody immediately.
According to him, Nnaji is being probed on forgery of academic credentials, specifically concerning a degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and False National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge Certificate, which was submitted during his ministerial screening process in 2023.
The statement read, “The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested the immediate past Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji (M), following the execution of a bench warrant issued by the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
“The arrest was effected on Wednesday, 1st July 2026 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon Mr. Nnaji’s arrival.
“He was apprehended with the assistance of the Department of State Services (DSS) and subsequently handed over to the ICPC for further investigation.
“The Commission had earlier extended formal invitations to the former minister through a letter referenced ICPC/HC/CSTF/GUN/GBT/T.1/VOLV16, dated 15 May 2026.
“The invitation notices were duly served to his known addresses in Abuja and Enugu, as well as via his electronic mail address.
“Despite service through multiple channels, Mr. Nnaji failed to appear for investigative interviews on the scheduled dates, necessitating further legal action.
“The legal action followed a court order granted by the Federal High Court in the Abuja Judicial Division (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1160/2026).
“The order, issued on 11 June 2026, directed the ICPC to arrest the former minister to enable investigation into allegations bordering on:
“Forgery of academic credentials, specifically concerning a degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN); and “False National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge Certificate, which was submitted during his ministerial screening process in 2023.
“Following the arrest, Mr. Nnaji has been taken into custody at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja, where investigations are expected to continue. The Commission assures the public that the matter will be pursued diligently in accordance with the law.”
The immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was arrested on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on arrival from Enugu via a chartered flight.
Authoritative sources at the airport confirmed the arrest to PREMIUM TIMES, saying Mr Nnaji would be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for interrogation.
The reported arrest comes weeks after the Federal High Court reportedly granted the ICPC permission to arrest and investigate Nnaji over the allegations.
The court also authorised the anti-graft agency to declare him wanted through newspapers, social media platforms and other media channels after the commission alleged that he repeatedly failed to honour invitations for questioning.
According to the ICPC, its application to the court followed Nnaji’s alleged refusal to appear before investigators despite several invitations relating to the forgery allegations.
The case stems from a two-year investigation published by Premium Times in October last year, which alleged that Nnaji submitted forged University of Nigeria degree and National Youth Service Corps certificates during his ministerial screening and confirmation process in 2023.
The report alleged that the documents were presented to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Senate, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the State Security Service.
According to the publication, Nnaji later acknowledged that the University of Nigeria did not issue him the degree certificate in question, a development the newspaper said corroborated its investigation.Newspapers
The former minister had previously denied the existence of the court order authorising his arrest, dismissing the publication as a “media trial.”
However, on June 18, he reportedly filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn the arrest order.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not issued an official statement confirming the reported arrest, while Nnaji’s legal team had yet to publicly respond to the latest development.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, restored the bail it had earlier granted to activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore.
Sowore is facing a two-count cybercrime charge filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) for calling President Bola Tinubu a “criminal” in a social media post.
Trial Justice Muhammed Umar, who had earlier granted the defendant bail on self-recognisance, on June 16 revoked the bail and issued a warrant for his arrest.
The order came after Sowore failed to appear before the court for the continuation of his trial, even though he wrote a letter explaining his absence and requesting a new date.
When proceedings resumed in the case on June 22, Justice Umar ordered the remand of the defendant in Kuje prison.
Dissatisfied with the actions the court took against him, Sowore—whose legal team had initially withdrawn from the case over alleged bias by the judge—secured a new lawyer, who promptly filed a motion to restore his bail and quash the arrest warrant.
When the case came up on Tuesday, Justice Umar held that he was minded to admit the defendant to bail.
However, the court listed some conditions that had to be met before he would be released from prison custody.
Aside from granting him bail to the tune of N200 million, the court held that the defendant must produce two sureties in like sum.
The court also ordered the defendant to surrender his international passport.
Related News
2027 Polls: Court orders INEC to register, grant access code to ADA wiithin 72 hours
NDC, Peter Obi, Sowore, Bolaji, Paul Ibe, PDP reject Lokoja court ruling
Sowore’s detention undermines fair trial, free speech — Gani Adams, Odumakin
Sowore, in the application he anchored on Sections 35(4), 36(1), and 66 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as Sections 169 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, insisted that the orders the court made against him were unjust and unwarranted.
The defendant had, on December 2, 2025, pleaded not guilty to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The charges allege offences under Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(a), (b), and (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
The offending posts, made on August 25, 2025, were in response to President Tinubu’s claim, made in Brazil, that his administration had ended corruption in Nigeria.
Angered by the posts, the DSS demanded that X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta Platforms Inc. ban Sowore’s accounts and remove the posts.
The security agency also wrote to Sowore, asking him to delete the posts from all platforms.
Non-compliance with the request led to the charges.
The prosecution claims the defamatory posts were intended to cause a breakdown of law and order and to tarnish the president’s reputation.
Exhibits include printouts of the posts and the DSS letters.
X Inc. and Meta were initially co-defendants but were delisted in the amended charge.
-
News3 days agoBREAKING: Ex-Minister Uche Nnaji arrested over alleged certificate forgery probe
-
Uncategorized1 day ago
US withdraws troops deployed to Nigeria, retains intelligence partnership
-
Uncategorized2 days ago
Kenneth Okonkwo eats his words, emerges as Atiku’s spokesperson
-
News2 days ago
ICPC: Why we detained ex-minister uche Nnaji
-
Uncategorized12 hours ago
Gunmen ambush, kill ex-Benue SSG Salifu
-
Uncategorized11 hours ago
Three brothers charged with murder after beating mother’s boyfriend to death
-
Uncategorized1 day ago
Atiku reaffirms 2027 ambition after Court clears Mark-Led ADC
-
Uncategorized1 day ago
‘Every Naira stolen robs Enugu of development’ — Gov. Mbah charges Public Officers on Accountability
