…Kwankwaso: Tinubu Govt Lacks Will, ‘Has No Business Remaining in Power’
By Franklin Adole
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have raised the alarm over alleged unconstitutional alterations to Nigeria’s recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, describing the controversy as a brazen assault on democratic norms and the integrity of the country’s legislative process.
Public outrage has trailed claims of discrepancies between the tax bills duly passed by the National Assembly and the version later gazetted by the Presidency.
In a press statement issued yesterday, Atiku described the alleged illegal modifications as “an act of treason against the Nigerian people,” accusing the executive arm of government of subverting legislative supremacy and eroding citizens’ constitutional rights to due process.
He drew attention to contentious provisions that reportedly grant sweeping coercive powers to tax authorities, including powers of arrest, seizure of property without court orders, and enforcement sales carried out without judicial oversight.
“These provisions transform tax collectors into quasi-law enforcement agencies, stripping Nigerians of due process protections that the National Assembly deliberately included,” Atiku said. He further faulted the introduction of mandatory 20 per cent security deposits for tax appeals, compound interest on tax liabilities, compulsory United States dollar computation for petroleum operations, and other measures which, he argued, impose heavier financial burdens on citizens while dismantling accountability safeguards.
Atiku called on the Federal Government to immediately suspend implementation of the tax law, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, pending a comprehensive investigation. He also urged the National Assembly to urgently correct the alleged illegal alterations, asked the judiciary to nullify unconstitutional provisions, and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe those responsible for the changes.
In the same vein, the NBA, under the leadership of its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, expressed grave concern over the controversy, warning that the disputed Tax Reform Acts undermine public confidence in lawmaking and create legal and policy uncertainty capable of threatening economic stability.
Describing the situation as deeply troubling for Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, the NBA demanded a transparent and open investigation to restore credibility to the legislative process.
“The integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process are at stake,” Osigwe said. “Until these issues are fully examined and resolved, all plans for implementation of the Tax Reform Acts should be suspended. Anything short of transparent legislative action undermines public trust and weakens lawful governance.”
Both Atiku and the NBA cautioned that failure to act decisively could entrench arbitrary governance, weaken democratic safeguards, and worsen the hardship facing Nigerians. They urged all stakeholders to place constitutional compliance, accountability, and citizen-friendly economic policies above narrow interests.
Meanwhile, former Kano State governor, leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, yesterday accused the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of lacking the political will to confront Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, declaring that the APC-led administration has no justification for remaining in office.
Kwankwaso spoke in Kano during the unveiling of 2,000 operatives of the Kano State Neighbourhood Security Network. He challenged President Tinubu to “rise to the occasion and truly act as the Commander-in-Chief” in tackling banditry and other security threats plaguing the country.
According to him, Nigeria’s military “remains one of the most gallant in the world,” citing its record of service in international peacekeeping missions in Darfur, Liberia, and other conflict zones. However, he lamented that the armed forces are not receiving adequate support to perform effectively.
“Today, many innocent Nigerians are being killed, while the perpetrators walk freely as if nothing happened. The government must apologise to Nigerians for its laxity in the fight against insecurity,” he said.
Kwankwaso, a former Minister of Defence, added: “When I was Defence Minister, I knew the capability of the Nigerian military. They are courageous and professional but need clear direction, support, and political will to do the needful.”
He stressed that Nigeria’s armed forces were once ranked among the best globally and urged the Federal Government to properly equip them to reverse the deteriorating security situation.
The NNPP leader further pledged that if elected president in 2027, he would recruit over one million additional military personnel to bolster national security.
“Any government that fails to protect the lives and property of its citizens has failed woefully and has no business remaining in office,” he declared.
Kwankwaso also called on the Federal Government to integrate community-based security outfits, such as the Kano Neighbourhood Security Network, into the national security architecture to enhance morale, improve intelligence gathering, and strengthen operations against criminal elements.