Atiku is claiming the government just forged a tax law. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says a major constitutional crisis is unfolding. He reacted to the Senate's confirmation that the published Tinubu Tax Act does not match what lawmakers actually passed. Atiku insists a law printed in a form never approved by the National Assembly is completely invalid.
He cited Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the strict lawmaking process. A bill must pass both chambers, get presidential assent, and only then be gazetted for publication. Atiku stressed that gazetting is just an administrative step. It cannot create law or fix an illegal change. Any alteration to the bill after passage, without a new vote, amounts to legal forgery in his view. He said this defect cannot be fixed by any directive from Senate President Godswill Akpabio or House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Atiku also criticized moves to quickly re-gazette the law while stalling a legislative probe. He called this an attack on parliamentary oversight and a dangerous precedent. The only lawful fix, according to his statement, is a full do-over. The bill needs fresh consideration, an identical re-passage by both chambers, new presidential assent, and proper publication. He framed this not as opposition to tax reform, but as a defense of the legislative process itself.
He cited Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the strict lawmaking process. A bill must pass both chambers, get presidential assent, and only then be gazetted for publication. Atiku stressed that gazetting is just an administrative step. It cannot create law or fix an illegal change. Any alteration to the bill after passage, without a new vote, amounts to legal forgery in his view. He said this defect cannot be fixed by any directive from Senate President Godswill Akpabio or House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Atiku also criticized moves to quickly re-gazette the law while stalling a legislative probe. He called this an attack on parliamentary oversight and a dangerous precedent. The only lawful fix, according to his statement, is a full do-over. The bill needs fresh consideration, an identical re-passage by both chambers, new presidential assent, and proper publication. He framed this not as opposition to tax reform, but as a defense of the legislative process itself.
