The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of prioritising revenue generation over the welfare and well-being of Nigerians following the Federal Government’s insistence on commencing the new Tax Act on January 1, 2026, despite alleged discrepancies in its gazetted provisions.

The opposition party renewed its call for the suspension of the Act’s commencement date, citing widespread public outrage over what it described as the illegal insertion of provisions that were earlier removed by the National Assembly.

The PDP’s position was contained in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong.

According to the party, Nigerians across various sectors have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the discrepancies between the harmonised version of the Tax Act passed by the National Assembly and the version later gazetted.

“Nigerians across all walks of life have loudly voiced their displeasure over the smuggling in of very dangerous provisions which were expunged earlier by the Parliament,” the party said.

The PDP noted that citizens have demanded a comprehensive investigation to determine who carried out the alleged insertions and how such provisions found their way into the final document.

“Nigerians have demanded a thorough investigation of this anomaly and sought to know who carried out the illegal insertion and how it was done,” the statement added.

The opposition party argued that the controversy surrounding the Tax Act aligns with what it described as a consistent pattern of governance since President Tinubu assumed office in 2023.

“This Tinubu Presidency has always prioritised finance over the welfare and well-being of Nigerians from its inception in 2023,” the party said.

It cited the removal of fuel subsidy as an example, describing both the announcement and implementation of the policy as reckless and harmful to citizens.

“The reckless way it announced and implemented the removal of subsidy immediately impacted the economy of the country and caused ordinary Nigerians to suffer irreparable economic damage,” the PDP added.

The party reminded President Tinubu of his responsibility to the electorate, urging him to pay attention to public concerns rather than what it described as the narrow interests of those around him.

“In this instance, the President should remember that he is an employee of the people and, therefore, should listen to his employers,” the statement said.

The PDP also referenced the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, noting that Tinubu emerged victorious with less than 40 per cent of the total votes cast.

The opposition party concluded by reiterating its demand for the suspension of the Tax Act’s commencement date until a full investigation into the alleged discrepancies is completed.

“Consequently, we reiterate our earlier call for the suspension of the commencement date of the Tax Act, pending the conclusion of a thorough investigation,” the party said.

It warned that continued doubts about the legitimacy of the law could undermine public trust in the law-making process.

“Obedience to laws in a democracy is directly linked to the belief that elected legislators have deliberated upon and approved them,” the statement noted.

“A mere suspicion, let alone a confirmed fact, that unapproved sections have been smuggled into a law with the capacity to affect all Nigerians is sufficient reason to suspend its commencement.”

The PDP insisted that failure to suspend the Act would further validate its claim that the Tinubu administration places revenue generation above the welfare of citizens.

In an earlier statement on Tuesday, President Tinubu had reaffirmed that Nigeria’s newly enacted tax reform laws would be implemented in line with their established timelines, despite concerns raised by lawmakers over alleged discrepancies in some of the gazetted provisions.

The President described the tax reforms as transformative, insisting that they are intended to strengthen Nigeria’s fiscal architecture rather than impose additional burdens on Nigerians.