Isiyaku Ahmed
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed deep concern over controversies surrounding the recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, warning that the issues threaten the integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the President of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the developments strike at the core of constitutional governance and raise serious questions about adherence to due process in lawmaking within a democratic system.
The NBA called for a comprehensive, open, and transparent investigation to clarify the circumstances under which the laws were enacted and to restore public confidence in the National Assembly.
It also urged that implementation of the Tax Reform Acts be suspended pending the outcome of such an inquiry.
According to the NBA, the prevailing legal and policy uncertainty poses significant risks to the economy, noting that it could unsettle the business environment, weaken investor confidence, and create unpredictability for individuals, businesses, and institutions required to comply with the new laws.
The NBA stressed that uncertainty of this nature is detrimental to economic stability and incompatible with the rule of law, adding that Nigeria’s constitutional democracy requires that laws, particularly those with far-reaching economic and social consequences, must be products of transparent, accountable, and credible processes.
The association warned that any deviation from these standards undermines public trust and weakens the foundations of lawful governance.
It therefore called on all relevant authorities to act promptly and responsibly in resolving the controversy, in the interest of constitutional order, economic stability, and the preservation of the rule of law.
