The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a sharp critique against the Presidency, accusing it of elevating revenue generation above the welfare and concerns of Nigerian citizens. The opposition party has called for the immediate suspension of the commencement date for the recently enacted Tax Act, citing serious alleged inconsistencies in the law's final version.
Alleged Discrepancies in the Gazetted Tax Law
In a statement released on Tuesday, 30 December 2025, the PDP's National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, reiterated the party's demand. The core of the controversy lies in what the PDP describes as inconsistencies between the harmonised version of the Tax Act passed by the National Assembly and the copy that was officially gazetted and is now in circulation.
The party claims that Nigerians from diverse backgrounds are outraged by the alleged re-insertion of "dangerous provisions" that legislators had previously removed. The PDP is demanding a comprehensive investigation to uncover how these provisions reappeared and to identify those responsible for the act.
A Pattern of Prioritising Revenue Over People?
The PDP strongly faulted the presidency for what it sees as a deliberate attempt to minimise the controversy while insisting that the Act's commencement date must proceed despite the unresolved issues. According to the party, this stance reveals the government's true focus. "This disposition clearly shows where the priority of the government lies — between Nigerians and money," the statement declared.
The opposition party argued that since its inception in 2023, the Tinubu administration has consistently placed fiscal considerations ahead of citizen well-being. It pointed to the removal of the fuel subsidy, recalling how the policy's announcement and implementation inflicted severe economic hardship on ordinary Nigerians and disrupted the national economy.
A Call to Heed Public Concern and Historical Precedent
The PDP reminded President Tinubu that he was elected to serve the people and therefore has a duty to listen to their grievances, especially considering what the party termed the narrow margin of his electoral victory. It drew a parallel to 2012, when a PDP-led Federal Government reviewed its decision on fuel subsidy removal following massive nationwide protests. The party noted that Tinubu, then in opposition, played a prominent role in that public agitation.
The PDP emphasised that in a democracy, obedience to laws is rooted in public confidence that those laws were properly debated and approved by elected representatives. It stressed that even the suspicion that unapproved clauses were smuggled into a law affecting all citizens is sufficient reason to halt its implementation.
The party has urgently called on President Bola Tinubu to act in the national interest by suspending the commencement of the Tax Act pending a full and transparent investigation. It warned that failure to do so would solidify the public perception that "money, not the people, is the priority of this administration."
