NBA Demands Suspension of Tax Reform Laws Over Legislative Irregularities

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the Tax Reform Acts, citing concerns over transparency and credibility in the legislative process.

In a statement issued on Tuesday via X, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said controversies surrounding the tax laws had raised serious questions about the integrity of their passage and documentation. He stressed that laws with wide economic and social implications must be enacted through open, accountable, and verifiable processes.

The call follows allegations raised last week on the floor of the House of Representatives by Abdulsammad Dasuki, a lawmaker from Sokoto State, who claimed there were discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions later gazetted and released to the public.

Since the allegation surfaced, political parties, civil society organisations, and several lawmakers have demanded the suspension of the laws, pointing to possible irregularities in the legislative process.

Osigwe said the situation strikes at the core of constitutional governance and undermines public trust in lawmaking. He urged relevant authorities to act promptly and responsibly to address the controversy in the interest of constitutional order, economic stability, and the rule of law.

According to the NBA, a comprehensive and transparent investigation is necessary to clarify how the laws were enacted and to restore public confidence. The association warned that proceeding with implementation amid unresolved concerns would deepen legal and policy uncertainty.

The NBA noted that such uncertainty could disrupt the business environment, weaken investor confidence, and create compliance challenges for individuals and institutions, ultimately harming economic stability. It maintained that Nigeria’s democracy requires laws to emerge from processes that are beyond reproach, adding that anything less erodes public trust and weakens lawful governance.