Labour Party lawmaker Philip Agbese has publicly challenged Senator Ireti Kingibe over her claims about Nigeria's new tax laws, describing them as a fabrication and accusing her of exploiting public anxiety ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency and serves as the Labour Party leader in Benue state, addressed journalists on Thursday, October 22, in Abuja. He said Kingibe's assertions about a fuel tax and a blanket 25 per cent levy on all earnings are factually baseless.
Dispute Over Nigeria Tax Act 2025
At the heart of the dispute is the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, which took effect on 1 January 2026 after being passed by the National Assembly and gazetted. Agbese maintained that the law contains no fuel tax of any kind and that the 25 per cent income tax rate Kingibe cited does not apply uniformly to all Nigerians.
According to him, the rate affects only the portion of annual income exceeding ₦50 million, while the first ₦800,000 of earnings attracts a zero per cent rate. He also noted that the legislation provides exemptions for qualifying minimum-wage earners.
"Senator Ireti Kingibe is playing dangerous scare-mongering politics with the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians," Agbese declared. "She knows there is no fuel tax in the tax reform laws, yet she continues to package falsehoods as fact just to frighten the people and position herself as some kind of saviour."
Agbese Challenges Kingibe's Integrity
Agbese also took issue with Kingibe's suggestion that implementation of the tax laws was being held back until after the 2027 elections, arguing this contradicted the publicly available record of when the legislation came into force.
The lawmaker said what made Kingibe's conduct particularly troubling was her position as a sitting senator, someone with direct access to the full text of the law and legislative briefings. He argued that spreading inaccurate information in those circumstances amounted to a betrayal of the public's trust.
"How does a senator who participated in the National Assembly process turn around and tell Nigerians that a fuel tax is coming when none exists?" Agbese asked. "She is taking Nigerians for a ride and I will not stay silent while she does it."
Call for Retraction and Fact-Check Findings
Agbese challenged Kingibe to cite the precise section of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 that supports either claim, insisting she defend her position using the actual legislative text rather than what he called viral rhetoric.
"She should retract, apologise, and stop using the hardship of the people as a political ladder. Anything short of that confirms that she is more interested in 2027 votes than in truth," he said.
Meanwhile, a fact-check has found false Senator Kingibe's claim that Nigeria's new tax laws require every citizen to pay 25 per cent of their earnings as tax. According to the report, the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 introduced progressive personal income tax rates, with the 25 per cent rate applying only to annual chargeable income exceeding ₦50 million, while the first ₦800,000 is tax-free.
Tax expert Okey Udo said Kingibe's claim reflected either a misunderstanding of the law or political motivation, while the legislation also provides exemptions for qualifying minimum-wage earners.
