Following the discrepancies trailing the new tax law, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of placing revenue considerations above the welfare of Nigerians.
This is as the opposition party calls for the suspension of the commencement date of the Tax Act, citing discrepancies between the harmonised and gazetted versions of the law.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, Comrade Ini Ememobong, on Tuesday, December 30, PDP said Nigerians across social strata have expressed displeasure over what it described as the smuggling of “Very dangerous provisions” that were earlier expunged by the National Assembly.
The party reiterated its call for the suspension of the take-off date, faulting the presidency for what it described as a deliberate attempt to downplay the controversy while insisting that the commencement date of the Act must stand despite the unresolved discrepancies.
It said the stance of the Federal Government revealed its true priority. “This disposition clearly shows where the priority of the government lies — between Nigerians and money,” the statement read.
It is alleged that the Tinubu administration has, since its inception in 2023, consistently prioritised fiscal considerations over the well-being of citizens.
The PDP recalled the manner in which the removal of the fuel subsidy was announced and implemented, arguing that the policy inflicted severe economic hardship on ordinary Nigerians and disrupted the economy.
It further reminded the President that he was elected to serve the people and, therefore, had a duty to listen to their concerns, especially in view of what it described as the narrow margin of his electoral victory.
The party also drew parallels with events in 2012, when a PDP-led Federal Government reviewed its decision on fuel subsidy removal following nationwide protests, noting that Tinubu, then in opposition, played a prominent role in the agitation.
According to the PDP, obedience to laws in a democracy is rooted in public confidence that such laws were duly debated and approved by elected representatives, stressing that even the suspicion that unapproved provisions were smuggled into a law affecting all Nigerians was sufficient grounds to suspend its implementation.
The party urged President Tinubu to act in the interest of Nigerians by halting the commencement of the Tax Act pending the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation, warning that failure to do so would reinforce the perception that “money, not the people, is the priority of this administration.”
