Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has described the alleged tampering with the Tax Reform Bill as a serious assault on Nigeria’s democratic process.
Adeyanju was responding to claims that the version of the tax reform legislation signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not align with the bill approved by the National Assembly.
In his reaction, the activist warned that failure by the Tinubu-led government to clarify the controversy would paint the administration as an illegitimate outfit operating under the guise of governance.
According to a statement issued by Adeyanju, reports suggesting that the assented bill differs substantially from the one passed by lawmakers are deeply troubling.
“There are disturbing reports that the tax reform bill assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is materially different from the version duly passed by the National Assembly.
“If this allegation is true, it represents the greatest mockery of Nigeria’s democracy since 1999,” he said.
Adeyanju stated that if the allegations are accurate, it would amount to one of the most blatant subversions of democratic norms Nigeria has witnessed since the return to civilian rule in 1999.
He emphasized that in any functional constitutional system, a president is only empowered to give assent to a legislation exactly as approved by the legislature.
He argued that any modification after parliamentary approval, whether through removal, insertion, or replacement of provisions, constitutes a gross abuse of the lawmaking process and a direct violation of the will of the Nigerian people.
The activist further demanded that the federal government urgently provide a clear explanation and make public the certified copy of the bill passed by the National Assembly.
He noted that anything less than full transparency would reinforce perceptions that the Tinubu administration is operating like a criminal syndicate rather than a legitimate government.
“The Tinubu administration must immediately come clean with an explanation and publish the authenticated version of the bill passed by the National Assembly.
“Anything short of this shows that the Tinubu Administration is a criminal enterprise masquerading as a government.”
Alleged alteration of tax reform bill by Tinubu mockery of Nigeria’s democracy – Adeyanju
