The National Opposition Movement (NOM) on Wednesday called for the immediate suspension of the Federal Government\u2019s proposed new tax regime, describing it as \u201can assault on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians\u201d rather than a genuine reform.<\/p>\n
Addressing a press conference at the Shehu Yar\u2019Adua Centre, Abuja, NOM leaders said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was pushing the country towards what they termed \u201cmultidimensional failure,\u201d marked by worsening insecurity, deepening poverty and declining quality of life.<\/p>\n
According to the spokesperson of the group, Hon.Chille Igbawua, Nigerians are currently grappling with widespread hunger, homelessness, unemployment and rising costs of living, while insecurity has made travel across many parts of the country unsafe. NOM argued that, despite these conditions, the Federal Government was prioritising political and elite economic interests over the welfare and security of citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe situation in Nigeria today is terrible. Many Nigerians can barely afford food, transport, electricity bills or rent,\u201d the group said, adding that global indices now rank Nigeria among countries with the lowest quality of life, even below some of its West African neighbours.<\/p>\n
Prominent members of the NOM include Atiku Abubakar:\u00a0Former Vice President.; Peter Obi:\u00a0Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential Candidate;Nasir El-Rufai:\u00a0Former Governor of Kaduna State; Rauf Aregbesola:\u00a0Former Governor of Osun State, former Minister;David Mark:\u00a0Former Senate President, former Military Governor; Rotimi Amaechi:\u00a0Former Minister, ally of Tinubu turned critic; Aminu Tambuwal:\u00a0Former Governor of Sokoto State, former Speaker, House of Representatives; Sule Lamido:\u00a0Former Governor of Jigawa State, former Foreign Minister; and Uche Secondus:\u00a0Former National Chairman of the PDP.<\/p>\n
NOM said its emergence reflects growing concern among \u201cpatriotic citizens\u201d about what it described as incompetence, corruption and authoritarian tendencies under the Tinubu administration. The movement said it would serve as a watchdog, monitoring developments around security, prosperity and governance, and amplifying the voices of citizens affected by government policies.<\/p>\n
The group commended a \u201cselect group of leaders\u201d who recently spoke out against what it called tyranny, as well as organised labour, particularly the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), for opposing economic policies that they say have led to mass impoverishment.<\/p>\n
New Tax Law Under Fire<\/p>\n
Central to NOM\u2019s criticism is the new tax law scheduled to take effect in January 2026. Under the policy, all adults of taxable age\u2014whether employed or unemployed\u2014would be required to file annual tax returns between January 1 and March 31, with penalties for non-compliance. Employers would also be required to file returns for all employees, including those earning below the taxable threshold, while possession of a Tax Identification Number (TIN) would be mandatory.<\/p>\n
NOM described these provisions as \u201cmindless and exploitative,\u201d arguing that they fail to take into account Nigeria\u2019s high unemployment rate, poor internet access and weak institutional capacity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a country with over 70 million unemployed people and weak service delivery, this amounts to setting up an exploitative racket against innocent Nigerians,\u201d the group said.<\/p>\n
The movement also claimed that Nigerians earning below the minimum wage would be disproportionately affected, coming on the heels of fuel subsidy removal, rising electricity tariffs, currency depreciation and food inflation.<\/p>\n
Beyond the tax policy, NOM accused the Tinubu administration of presiding over widespread corruption, lack of transparency and what it termed \u201cstate capture.\u201d It alleged that key revenue agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), were riddled with corruption.<\/p>\n
The group questioned the decision by FIRS to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a French agency on tax administration without publicly disclosing the details, arguing that such secrecy undermines public trust and national interest.<\/p>\n
NOM also cited unresolved corruption allegations involving former senior government officials and referenced recent public accusations of corruption against a top regulator by a prominent private sector figure, describing the development as unprecedented in Nigeria\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
The opposition movement criticised what it described as the President\u2019s approach to leadership, alleging a lack of respect for social contract, due process and institutional norms. It referenced recent comments by Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, who reportedly expressed concern over what he described as the \u201cprivatisation of the Nigerian state,\u201d including the visibility and influence of the President\u2019s family in public affairs.<\/p>\n
According to NOM, higher taxes under the current administration have not translated into improved public services such as healthcare, education, security or job creation. Instead, the group alleged that revenues are being used to sustain a bloated government and elite lifestyles.<\/p>\n
NOM outlined five key demands:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Immediate suspension of the new tax plan\u2019s implementation.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Nationwide consultations involving labour unions, civil society, small and medium enterprises, professionals and state governments.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Clear social protection measures tied to any tax reform.<\/p>\n
\u2022 A shift towards taxing luxury consumption, excess profits, monopolies and corruption rather than poverty.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Strong legal safeguards to protect taxpayers\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n
The movement argued that Nigeria\u2019s core problem is not low taxation but waste, corruption and policy arrogance, warning that \u201cyou do not fix government failure by billing the victims.\u201d<\/p>\n
In its closing remarks, NOM said it stands with workers, traders, professionals and small business owners, vowing to resist policies that \u201cpunish the poor to excuse leadership failure.\u201d While insisting that its position was not a threat, the group warned that forcing through the tax plan without consultation could have serious social and economic consequences.<\/p>\n
\u201cNigeria is hurting, and suffering Nigerians have limits,\u201d NOM said, urging the government to de-escalate tensions, respect dissenting voices and refocus on governance that prioritises the welfare of citizens.<\/p>\n
The Federal Government had not responded to the statements as at the time of filing this report.\u25a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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