KEY POINTS
- PDP has demanded a six-month delay in the implementation of new tax laws over alleged discrepancies between gazetted copies and versions passed by the national assembly.
- The house of representatives has set up a committee to probe claims of unauthorised insertions in the gazetted tax laws.
- The opposition party also criticised the federal government over insecurity, declining global standing and what it described as an overemphasis on politics over governance.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on the federal government to suspend the implementation of Nigeria’s newly approved tax laws for six months, citing alleged discrepancies between the versions passed by the national assembly and those officially gazetted for public use.
The tax laws are scheduled to take effect from January 2026, forming part of a broader fiscal reform agenda aimed at boosting government revenue, expanding the tax base and improving compliance.
However, the PDP warned that proceeding with implementation under the current circumstances could undermine legislative integrity and public confidence in the lawmaking process.
The demand follows claims by Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the house of representatives from Sokoto State, who alleged that the gazetted copies of the tax laws available to the public differ materially from the harmonised versions approved by both chambers of the national assembly.
Dasuki said he obtained copies of the gazetted laws from the federal ministry of information and discovered notable insertions and substitutions that were not debated or passed by lawmakers.
PDP warns alleged insertions could erode public trust and violate constitutional process
In a statement issued by Ini Ememobong, its national spokesperson, the PDP said the six-month extension was necessary to allow lawmakers sufficient time to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that only duly enacted laws are enforced.
“This disparity must be comprehensively investigated and not treated with the customary levity that this administration has shown toward very serious issues of governance,” Ememobong said.
He added that Nigerians deserved clarity on how the alleged changes found their way into the gazetted copies, stressing that transparency was essential to maintaining confidence in democratic institutions.
The PDP warned that enforcing laws containing provisions not approved by parliament could set a dangerous precedent.
“This criminal act of inserting unenacted sections in laws can erode public trust in the enactments of parliament,” Ememobong said. “Nigerians need assurance that the laws they obey are valid laws enacted by their elected representatives, not laws with insertions that are strange to the lawmakers.”
The PDP therefore called for the commencement date of the tax laws to be shifted from January 1, 2026, by at least six months.
