The African Democratic Congress, a registered opposition political party in Nigeria, has demanded the immediate suspension of the country’s newly enacted 2025 tax laws, alleging that significant provisions were altered after they were approved by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s democratically elected President and Head of Government.
The party described the alleged post-approval modifications as a serious violation of constitutional procedures, warning that such actions could undermine democratic governance and weaken the separation of powers enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution.
In a statement released on Saturday, 20 December 2025, the African Democratic Congress, through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, a Nigerian political communications strategist and former federal legislator, expressed deep concern over reports suggesting that sections of the tax legislation were changed after completing the constitutionally required legislative process.
The party’s intervention followed a point of privilege raised on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, by Honorable Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives representing Sokoto State under the Peoples Democratic Party, during a plenary session of the lower chamber of the National Assembly. Dasuki reportedly drew attention to discrepancies between the harmonised tax bills passed by lawmakers and the versions later made public through official gazettes.
Reacting to the development, the African Democratic Congress called for an immediate halt to the implementation of the tax laws, insisting that the National Assembly must first conduct a thorough review of the alleged alterations and take corrective legislative action where necessary. Okay News reports that the party believes proceeding with enforcement without clarification would set a dangerous precedent for constitutional governance in Nigeria.
In the statement, the party said:
“The African Democratic Congress has reviewed various reports which confirm doubts that the various tax laws passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu contain substantial alterations of key provisions that were not part of the original legislation approved by the legislature.”
It further claimed that an internal examination revealed significant changes to the laws after they were gazetted. According to the party:
“ADC’s forensic review of the original laws and the gazetted versions has also established beyond doubt that key accountability provisions were deleted, while new clauses were inserted granting coercive powers to the Executive in enforcing the tax laws without recourse to the courts. For example, one of the insertions allegedly grants the government the express power to arrest individuals and take over their property for non-compliance with the tax laws.”
Beyond the alleged alterations, the African Democratic Congress reiterated its long-standing opposition to tax measures that could worsen economic hardship for Nigerian citizens and businesses already grappling with inflation, unemployment, and reduced purchasing power.
The statement added:
“The ADC’s position on the so-called tax reforms has been made clear. We do not support any tax measures that are likely to compound the hardship already faced by citizens and businesses. However, this issue goes beyond taxation. It reflects a mindset that shows disregard for democratic institutions and constitutional boundaries.”
The party further warned that altering laws after passage by Nigeria’s 469 elected federal lawmakers amounts to an attack on constitutional order and democratic legitimacy.
It said:
“Altering legislation and gazetting it after it has been passed by 469 elected representatives of the Nigerian people is a direct assault on constitutional governance. It is indicative of totalitarian tendencies by a President seeking to concentrate power, even if it means violating the Constitution from which he derives his authority.”
The African Democratic Congress also called on relevant authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure that any government official involved in the alleged forgery is prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The statement concluded:
“For the avoidance of doubt, under our Constitution, only the legislature has the power to make laws. Any legislation not passed in accordance with constitutional provisions cannot stand. To accept that the Executive can insert or remove even a punctuation mark after passage is to usurp legislative authority, which poses a grave danger to our democracy.
The ADC therefore calls for the immediate suspension of all 2025 tax laws signed by President Bola Tinubu to allow for a full legislative review. This is the only reasonable course of action to preserve the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.
We also call for a full investigation and the immediate prosecution of any government official found culpable in this alleged act of forgery, which strikes at the very heart of our democracy.”
