NBA slams tax reform acts as ‘threat to lawmaking sanctity, demands halt
Tax
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), led by President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has raised alarms over the recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, accusing the process of undermining the core principles of constitutional governance.
The NBA in a statement on Tuesday decried the “controversies that have emerged in relation to the recently enacted Tax Reform Acts,” stating they “raise grave concerns about the integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process.”
The association emphasised that these issues “strike at the very heart of constitutional governance and call into question the procedural sanctity that must attend lawmaking in a democratic society.”
Calling for urgent action, the statement demanded “a comprehensive, open, and transparent investigation be conducted to clarify the circumstances surrounding the enactment of the laws and to restore public confidence in the legislative process.”
It further insisted that “until these issues are fully examined and resolved, all plans for the implementation of the Tax Reform Acts should be immediately suspended.”
The lawyers’ body warned of broader fallout, noting that such “legal and policy uncertainty unsettles the business environment, erodes investor confidence, and creates unpredictability for individuals, businesses, and institutions.”
They reiterated Nigeria’s constitutional democracy demands laws “emerge from processes that are transparent, accountable, and beyond reproach,” adding that anything less “undermines public trust and weakens the foundation upon which lawful governance rests.”
The NBA urged “all relevant authorities to act swiftly and responsibly in addressing this controversy, in the overriding interest of constitutional order, economic stability, and the preservation of the rule of law.”
This intervention comes amid growing public and stakeholder scrutiny of the Tax Reform Acts, which aim to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system but have sparked debates over procedural lapses and potential economic impacts.
