NEWS
NBA Raises Alarm Over Tax Reform Acts, Questions Integrity of Nigeria’s Lawmaking Process
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed deep concern over controversies surrounding the recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, warning that the issues cast serious doubt on the integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process.
In a statement issued on Tuesday from its National Secretariat in Abuja, the NBA said the developments strike at the core of constitutional governance and threaten the procedural sanctity required for lawmaking in a democratic society.
The association called for a comprehensive, open, and transparent investigation to clarify the circumstances under which the Tax Reform Acts were enacted, stressing that public confidence in the legislative process must be urgently restored. Pending the outcome of such an inquiry, the NBA urged that all plans to implement the laws be immediately suspended.
According to the NBA, the level of legal and policy uncertainty generated by the controversy has far-reaching implications for the country. It warned that the situation could unsettle the business environment, erode investor confidence, and create unpredictability for individuals, businesses, and institutions expected to comply with the law.
The association noted that uncertainty of this nature is inimical to economic stability and incompatible with the principles of the rule of law.
Emphasising the standards expected in a constitutional democracy, the NBA said laws, particularly those with significant economic and social consequences must emerge from processes that are transparent, accountable, and beyond reproach. It cautioned that anything less undermines public trust and weakens the foundations of lawful governance.
The NBA therefore called on all relevant authorities to act swiftly and responsibly to address the controversy, in the overriding interest of constitutional order, economic stability, and the preservation of the rule of law.
The statement was signed by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.