In a press release issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku stated that substantive and unauthorised changes were made to the tax legislation after it had been duly passed by the National Assembly, in violation of Sections 4 and 58 of the 1999 Constitution.
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Bola Tinubu administration of committing what he described as a “brazen act of treason” against Nigerians over alleged illegal alterations to the recently passed Tax Reform Law.
In a press release issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku stated that substantive and unauthorised changes were made to the tax legislation after it had been duly passed by the National Assembly, in violation of Sections 4 and 58 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the alleged alterations represent “a direct assault on Nigeria’s constitutional democracy” and undermine the principle of legislative supremacy in lawmaking.
“This draconian overreach by the executive branch reveals a government more interested in extracting wealth from struggling citizens than empowering them to prosper,” Atiku said.
Atiku listed several provisions he claimed were illegally inserted into the tax laws after parliamentary approval, describing them as unconstitutional and anti-democratic.
Under what he termed “new coercive powers without legislative consent,” Atiku alleged that tax authorities were granted arrest powers, authority to seize property and garnish assets without court orders, and the ability to conduct enforcement sales 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,” he said.
The former vice president also accused the government of imposing harsher financial obligations on citizens and businesses, including a mandatory 20 per cent security deposit before taxpayers can appeal assessments, the introduction of compound interest on tax debts, quarterly reporting requirements with lowered thresholds, and forced United States dollar computation for petroleum operations.
According to Atiku, these measures “erect financial barriers that prevent ordinary Nigerians from challenging unjust assessments” and further increase compliance costs for businesses operating in an already difficult economic environment.
He added that accountability provisions were removed from the law, including quarterly and annual reporting obligations to the National Assembly, requirements for strategic planning submissions, and ministerial supervisory controls.
“By stripping away oversight mechanisms, the government has insulated itself from accountability while expanding its powers, a hallmark of authoritarian governance,” he added.
Atiku argued that the alleged constitutional violations expose a government focused on imposing heavier tax burdens on impoverished Nigerians rather than investing in infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic empowerment to organically expand the tax base.
He noted that Nigeria continues to grapple with high poverty levels, unemployment and inflation, warning that punitive taxation and erosion of legal safeguards would further impoverish citizens.
“True economic growth comes from empowering citizens, not impoverishing them further through punitive taxation and constitutional manipulation to achieve short-term fiscal goals,” he said.
Atiku called on the executive arm of government to immediately suspend implementation of the tax law, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, to allow for a thorough investigation.
He also urged the National Assembly to rectify the alleged illegal alterations through proper legislative processes and hold those responsible accountable.
In addition, he called on the judiciary to strike down what he described as unconstitutional provisions and reaffirm the sanctity of the legislative process.
He urged civil society groups and Nigerians to resist what he termed “an assault on democratic principles” and demand governance that serves the people rather than exploits them.