Dare Babalola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the President Bola Tinubu’s administration of prioritising money over the welfare of Nigerians, citing the government’s insistence on implementing the new Tax Act despite discrepancies in the harmonised and gazetted versions of the law.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, on Tuesday, the PDP reiterated its call for the suspension of the commencement date of the Tax Act pending a thorough investigation into the alleged insertion of unapproved provisions into the law.
The statement read partly, “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. 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 PDP expressed disappointment that the Presidency has minimized the issue and insisted on implementing the Tax Act despite the discrepancies, saying this disposition clearly shows where the priority of the government lies – between Nigerians and money.
“The Tinubu Presidency has always prioritised finance over the welfare and well-being of Nigerians from its inception in 2023, as evidenced by the reckless way it announced and implemented the removal of subsidy, which immediately impacted the economy of the country and caused ordinary Nigerians to suffer irreparable economic damage,” the statement added.
The party reminded President Tinubu that he is an employee of the people and should listen to their concerns, noting that he won with less than 40% of the votes in the elections that gave him the job.
The PDP cited the example of a previous PDP administration in 2012, which listened to the cries of Nigerians and civil society organisations against the removal of fuel subsidy, and urged the current administration to follow suit.
The party reiterated its call for the suspension of the commencement date of the Tax Act, saying “obedience to laws in a democracy is directly linked to the belief that elected legislators have deliberated upon and approved them. 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 statement concluded, “The President must act in favour of the people of this country; to do otherwise is a clear confirmation that money, not the people, is the priority.”
