The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned that the development posed a serious threat to legislative integrity and democratic government and has demanded an immediate and thorough investigation into what it termed as a purportedly fraudulent modification of Nigeria’s tax laws.
The opposition party voiced serious concerns about alleged differences between the National Assembly’s version of the Tax Act and the one that was later gazetted in a press release titled “APC/Tinubu Administration: The Normalization of Absurdity,” which was signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, its national publicity secretary.
The PDP claimed that Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives, raised concerns about how “insertions and substitutions” allegedly entered the gazetted law without parliamentary approval.
The party claims that if proven, such a conduct would constitute criminal subversion of the legislative process and may seriously damage public trust in laws passed by elected officials.
It cautioned the House of Representatives leadership not to take the issue lightly or try to “sweep it under the carpet,” as it said had happened with accusations that the nation was running several budgets in a single fiscal year.
The party praised Hon. Dasuki for his courage and diligence in carrying out his legislative duties, saying, “The laws Nigerians obey must be the exact laws enacted by their representatives, not documents bearing strange provisions unknown to lawmakers.”
In order to allow for a thorough investigation of the purported anomaly, the publication and widespread distribution of the authentic enacted version, and widespread public education on the law’s provisions, the PDP demanded that the new Tax Act’s January 1, 2026, start date be postponed by at least six months.
Beyond the tax dispute, the PDP denounced what it called Nigeria’s deteriorating regional and international status under the Federal Government led by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It pointed to recent diplomatic blunders that it attributed to growing insecurity and bad governance, such as the imprisonment of Nigerian Air Force members in Burkina Faso and more stringent U.S. visa requirements for Nigerian nationals.
Despite Nigeria being the host country, the party also criticized President Bola Tinubu for missing the 68th Ordinary Meeting of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Abuja, claiming that such behavior betrays a lack of concern for regional stability and leadership.
Ahead to the 2027 elections, the PDP called on the Tinubu administration to put governance above politics and to invest more on infrastructure, healthcare, education, and security rather than what it called the empowerment of political entities.
The statement emphasized that parliamentary integrity, international reputation, and regional leadership are national imperatives that go beyond partisan considerations, saying, “The stakes are too high for business as usual.”
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