An economic expert at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professor Kabiru Isah Dandago, has said the Federal Government is legally empowered to proceed with the implementation of the newly signed tax reform laws, despite objections raised by some members of the House of Representatives.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, Professor Dandago maintained that the tax laws remain valid and enforceable, stressing that protests by lawmakers after the passage and presidential assent do not invalidate the legislation.
“Despite their protest after the fact, the tax laws still stand,” he said.
His remarks come amid growing controversy surrounding the new tax regime, following allegations by a lawmaker, Abdussamad Dasuki, that there are discrepancies between the versions of the bills passed by the National Assembly and those later gazetted and released to the public.
Dasuki had claimed that the published laws do not accurately reflect what lawmakers debated and approved on the floor of the National Assembly.
Reacting to the claims, Dandago noted that concerns would only be justified if any provision in the laws is proven to have a negative impact on the livelihood of Nigerians.
“It remains unclear what these discrepancies are. The real issue would be if there is a clause inserted in the law that will affect the livelihood of the masses negatively. So far, nothing of that nature has been brought forward,” he said.
The professor added that if members of the House of Representatives are convinced that there are serious issues with the laws, they should present concrete evidence to justify a review.
“If the Representatives are serious, then they should get their facts ready so that a review can be done,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the tax laws, citing alleged alterations to the versions passed by the National Assembly.
The call followed comments by the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, who insisted that the January 1, 2026 implementation date for the Nigerian Tax Act and the Nigerian Tax Administration Act remains unchanged.
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