SUNTV Global Channel – December 31, 2025
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of attempting to enforce newly enacted tax reform laws from January 1, 2026, despite widespread public opposition and serious allegations that the versions approved by the National Assembly were materially altered before being gazetted.
In a strongly worded statement signed by the coalition’s National Coordinator, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the group described the Presidency’s move as a “reckless assault on democracy” and “executive overreach that threatens constitutional order.”
According to CNG, verified facts, expert legal reviews, and testimonies from lawmakers indicate that the gazetted laws are significantly different from the versions debated and passed in parliament. “These discrepancies are not minor drafting errors; they are substantive alterations that strike at the heart of legislative authority, constitutional order, and the rule of law,” Charanchi said.
The coalition further warned that the rush to implement the reforms amid procedural breaches and public outcry reflects a government increasingly detached from democratic accountability, constitutional restraint, and social responsibility.
CNG accused the Presidency, along with the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, of pushing an agenda that could exacerbate hardship for millions of Nigerians already grappling with poverty, unemployment, and inflation. “Rather than heed legitimate calls for suspension and review, the Presidency has chosen arrogance over dialogue and coercion over consensus,” the statement added.
The group also leveled sharp criticism at the National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of abandoning their constitutional duty by failing to confront the Presidency over the alleged post-passage alterations. “The spectacle of lawmakers openly chanting ‘on your mandate we stand’ during President Tinubu’s appearance in the legislative chamber was not merely embarrassing, it was a public declaration of legislative surrender,” CNG said.
By failing to assert its authority, the coalition argued, the legislature has reduced itself to an appendage of the executive, undermining the doctrine of separation of powers and weakening democratic accountability. “A legislature that cannot defend the integrity of laws it passes has forfeited its independence and betrayed the trust of Nigerians,” the statement added.
CNG questioned the urgency behind implementing the tax reforms on January 1, 2026, despite unresolved disputes and mounting public skepticism. “If these reforms are truly people-centred and designed to strengthen the social contract, why the desperate rush amid unresolved disputes, public skepticism, and open disagreement even among lawmakers?” the coalition asked.
The group warned that enforcing laws of questionable legitimacy amid severe economic hardship could deepen public resentment, weaken state–citizen relations, and reinforce perceptions of injustice and elite insensitivity. “Millions of Nigerians are already overstretched by economic distress. Any tax reform imposed through questionable processes will only worsen the situation,” Charanchi said.
Concluding its statement, CNG reiterated its rejection of any attempt to enforce the tax reforms. “The CNG rejects any attempt to railroad Nigerians into compliance with laws whose legitimacy is in doubt,” it said, calling on the Presidency to suspend the implementation and engage in proper dialogue with stakeholders.
