The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has demanded that the recently passed Tax Reform Acts be immediately suspended, citing controversies that seriously undermine the legitimacy of Nigeria’s legislative process.
The group warned that the developments strike at the core of the nation’s constitutional government, stating that the circumstances surrounding the bills’ passing have generated serious doubts about the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the legislative process.
The NBA emphasized in a statement signed on Tuesday by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, that the problems with the Tax Reform Acts raised concerns about whether established legislative norms and due process were carefully adhered to in a democratic society.
In order to restore public trust in the National Assembly and to elucidate the conditions under which the legislation were passed, the NBA called for a thorough, transparent, and open investigation.
“All plans for the implementation of the Tax Reform Acts should be immediately suspended until these issues are fully examined and resolved,” he stated.
The NBA claims that there are significant dangers to economic stability due to the legal and policy uncertainty created by the controversy.
They added that the lack of clarity might cause uncertainty for individuals, companies, and institutions that are expected to comply with the new tax regime, as well as disturb the business environment and undermine investor confidence.
The group cautioned that such levels of uncertainty are incompatible with the rule of law and might have significant economic repercussions if ignored.
The NBA emphasized that regulations with significant social and economic ramifications must come from transparent, responsible, and impenetrable processes.
The statement stated that “anything short of this undermines public trust and weakens the foundation upon which lawful governance rests.”
In order to resolve the dispute in the best interests of constitutional order, economic stability, and the upholding of the rule of law, the NBA urged all pertinent authorities to act promptly and responsibly.
