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)
News
Sanwo-Olu, Lai Mohammed, Gbenga Daniel to discuss 2027 elections, insecurity at 7th Freedom Online lecture
Challenges facing the economy and insecurity, especially associated with elections in a developing economy like Nigeria, will be the focus of discussion at the seventh yearly lecture of Freedom Online (www.freedomonline.com.ng) on September 3 in Lagos.
Freedom Online, according to a statement by its Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Gabriel Akinadewo, is focusing on how to tackle insecurity during the lecture “because it has become a monster, threatening to consume the nation-state called Nigeria.
“What does the future hold for Nigeria after the 2027 general elections? How will the election be conducted in a way that will be acceptable to all? Will the outcome lay a solid foundation for the future of the country?
“We believe that actions of politicians, security agents and INEC officials, before, during and after the election will, one way or the other, decide the fate of the more than 200 million Nigerians in this geographical space. Obviously, insecurity, part of which is thuggery during elections, leads to poverty, underdevelopment and other social vices. Nigeria’s political, economic and social fabric is disintegrating because of this time bomb and the outcome of the election will go a long way to decide Nigeria’s future in global affairs”.
Akinadewo said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State is the Special Guest Speaker while former Information & Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and former Ogun State Governor, Senator Gbenga Daniel, are the Chairman and Special Guest of Honour respectively.
The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and Editor of Vanguard, Eze Anaba, is the Chief Host.
…Property Enumeration App to drive new land revenue regime
The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) has announced a drastic reduction in land use charges payable by property owners across the state as part of measures to encourage tax compliance and broaden the state’s revenue base.
The Chairman of ESIRS, Mr Emmanuel Ekene Nnamani, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists on the activities and achievements of the agency in its three years under his leadership.
Under the revised arrangement, property owners in Independence Layout now pay N70,000 annually, while those in Abakpa pay N20,000. Owners of village houses, according to Nnamani, will pay N10,000 annually as land use charge.
Nnamani also announced plans to commence the implementation of a Property Enumeration App, which will facilitate the identification and enumeration of properties across the state and provide a database for the assessment and collection of land use charges.
He said students would be engaged to participate in the enumeration exercise, with each student expected to receive payment on a weekly basis, based on the number of houses enumerated.
According to him, the initiative would help ESIRS establish an accurate property register while creating opportunities for students to earn income through the exercise.
Nnamani explained that the Property Enumeration App would assign identification to properties and their owners, making it easier for the government to determine taxable properties and improve compliance.
He said the exercise was part of ESIRS’ broader strategy to expand the tax net and bring previously untapped sources of revenue into the formal revenue system.
The ESIRS chairman said the agency was also expanding its revenue collection activities to o other areas including haulage fees, land use charges, capital gains tax, stamp duties and withholding tax.
He disclosed that withholding tax would soon become operational in the state, urging individuals and organisations required to deduct the tax to ensure that the deductions were properly remitted to the government.
Giving an insight into the performance of ESIRS under his leadership, Nnamani said the agency had recorded a significant increase in internally generated revenue since 2023.
He said the state generated N37 billion in 2023, rising to N108.5 billion in 2024, while revenue increased substantially to N406.7 billion in 2025, representing tax and non-tax revenues.
Nnamani attributed the growth to the reforms introduced under Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, particularly the autonomy granted ESIRS and the deployment of technology for revenue collection.
He said the agency inherited a system characterised by poorly motivated personnel and fragmented revenue collection, but the autonomy granted by the state government enabled ESIRS to embark on fundamental reforms.
“Our Governor came with disruptive innovation and now it is time to give account,” Nnamani said.
He explained that the autonomy granted to ESIRS was backed by legislation, transforming the agency into a one-stop shop for revenue collection in the state.
According to him, ESIRS moved away from a mono-payment gateway operated through Interswitch and expanded the system to seven payment gateways, including UPS and Flutterwave.
He said taxpayers could now make payments through banks, transfers and more than 300 Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals, including from the comfort of their homes and even during weekends.
The development, he said, had significantly improved convenience and reduced opportunities for revenue leakages.
Nnamani said the agency also embarked on extensive training of its personnel and declared an emergency in which every staff member was required to have access to a laptop or tablet.
He added that ESIRS invested in reliable internet connectivity and solar energy to ensure that its operations were not disrupted by power challenges.
The ESIRS chairman said the agency had also banned cash payments as part of measures to strengthen transparency and accountability in revenue collection.
He said several revenue agencies that previously operated independently had been unbundled and brought under a centralised system, while ESIRS collaborated with relevant unions and revenue agencies to improve its operations.
According to him, the reforms were particularly significant in the informal sector, where revenues were previously paid to non-state actors before the new system was introduced.
Nnamani urged residents and businesses to familiarise themselves with the state’s tax laws, stressing that the agency was not interested in imposing arbitrary taxes but in ensuring compliance with existing legislation.
He said the law provides for certain exemptions, but taxpayers seeking exemption must undertake the required tax filing.
He noted that ESIRS was currently not implementing some provisions of the tax law to their full extent, citing the provision requiring the payment of one per cent of turnover in certain circumstances.
“We are only collecting N36,000 and people are complaining. I’m a tax collector and you have to convince me why you should not pay,” he said.
He urged taxpayers to study the tax laws and understand their obligations rather than evade payment.
The ESIRS boss further disclosed that the state was collecting Development Levy from new construction projects, noting that between 20 and 25 new buildings were being commenced daily across the state.
He said the levy was N150,000 in Enugu North Local Government Area, N100,000 each in Enugu South and Enugu East, N80,000 in Nsukka, while the rate for other local government areas stood at N50,000,”and you must pay to be permitted to commence development of the property”.
READ THIS Government Of Dr Peter Mbah Is Interested Practically, Conveniently To Relate With NUJ – _Aka Eze Aka_
He said ESIRS was also strengthening the collection of capital gains tax, particularly from property transactions, as well as stamp duty.
Nnamani maintained that the objective of the reforms was to create a sustainable and transparent revenue system capable of funding government programmes without placing undue pressure on taxpayers.
The chairman also dismissed concerns that the ongoing tax reforms were designed to frustrate businesses, particularly Igbo traders.
He said the forthcoming implementation of enhanced tax-compliance measures at both the federal and state levels should not be misconstrued as an attempt to shut down businesses.
According to him, the reforms are aimed at ensuring that individuals and businesses fulfil their statutory tax obligations.
“It is not aimed at shutting down Igbo business. People should pay their taxes and not evade it,” he said.
Nnamani said ESIRS would continue to expand the tax net while deploying technology to make payment easier, improve transparency and ensure that revenue due to the state was properly collected.
He said the agency’s ultimate objective was to build a modern revenue administration system in which taxpayers could meet their obligations conveniently while the state would accurately account for every naira collected.
-
News2 days ago‘Fake agency’ boss, Nwabueze, fights back with appointment letter
-
News2 days ago
NDLEA arrests 101-year-old woman for selling cannabis in Ogun
-
News2 days ago
‘How fake federal agency tricked us’ – Anambra govt
-
News3 days ago
Four family members, dog die after eating Amala meal in Kogi
-
News2 days ago
Terrorists abduct many worshippers from Niger Central Mosque
-
News2 days ago
Insecurity: Nigeria must not become a killing field — Obi tells FGi
-
News2 days ago
Atiku breaks silence on FBI’s refusal to make Tinubu records public
-
News2 days ago
2027: Peter Obi most popular opposition candidate — NDC
