The Action Democratic Party has faulted alleged post-passage alterations to Nigeria’s Tax Act 2025, rejecting claims that the changes resulted from a printer’s error and describing the controversy as a serious breach of constitutional governance.

Addressing a State of the Nation briefing in Abuja, the party’s National Chairman, Yabagi Yusuf Sani, said any modification of an Act of Parliament outside legislative procedure undermines democratic accountability and the authority of the National Assembly.

He argued that laws can only be amended through due process, warning that inserting clauses after passage amounts to an abuse of power rather than reform.

According to him, if government has concerns about any aspect of the law, it must return to Parliament to seek amendments rather than alter an already enacted statute.

Sani noted that while Nigeria requires improved tax administration, reforms must be transparent and sensitive to the realities of citizens.

He said policies that shift the tax burden from the poor to the wealthy and provide targeted incentives could boost growth, but only if implemented within the bounds of the law and public trust.

The ADP chairman also criticised the broader economic situation, saying living conditions have deteriorated since the introduction of major policy changes by the current administration in 2023.

He cited rising inflation, worsening food prices and declining household incomes, noting that low-income earners now spend the bulk of their earnings on food.

He added that many small and medium-sized businesses are closing due to high operating costs, while slow release of capital funds has stalled infrastructure projects and contributed to unemployment.

On political inclusion, Sani drew attention to Nigeria’s low level of women’s representation in governance, describing it as one of the poorest globally.

He said women constitute nearly half of the population but occupy less than four per cent of seats in the National Assembly.

He therefore called for constitutional reforms to introduce reserved legislative seats for women, arguing that affirmative measures have helped other democracies address long-standing exclusion.

Sani further warned that rising youth unemployment, increased migration, shrinking civic space and frequent protests signal deep strain on Nigeria’s democracy.

He maintained that labour unrest and public demonstrations should be treated as signs of governance failure rather than security threats.

He concluded by urging a comprehensive national reset built on accountability, inclusive democracy, disciplined public finance and effective social protection, insisting that the country needs competent and transparent leadership rather than excuses.

According to him, the handling of the tax controversy will be a major test of the government’s commitment to transparency, the rule of law and democratic norms.

State chairmen of the Social Democratic Party have cautioned political opportunists and impostors against spreading false claims about a recent Supreme Court judgment, insisting that the ruling has no bearing on the party’s national leadership.

The warning was issued by the Forum of SDP State Chairmen in a statement signed by the Nasarawa State Chairman and Secretary of the forum, Musa Danlami, and released in Abuja.

Danlami said it had become necessary to counter misleading narratives being circulated to create confusion and instability within the party.

He explained that the Supreme Court decision in question arose solely from previously concluded by-elections and merely affirmed an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal.

According to him, the apex court did not deliberate on, recognise or validate any issue relating to the SDP’s national leadership or authority.

“The judgment had nothing whatsoever to do with leadership of the SDP. Any attempt to portray it as an endorsement of any individual or group’s leadership claim is a deliberate falsehood aimed at deceiving party members and the public,” Danlami said.

He also condemned what he described as the forceful and theatrical invasion of the party’s national secretariat by a self-styled group, alleging that the action was politically motivated and encouraged by external interests.

Danlami stressed that legitimacy within the SDP is derived strictly from the party’s constitution, urging members nationwide to remain calm, vigilant and united in the face of provocations.

He warned party faithful not to be distracted by individuals seeking to hijack the party through misinformation and intimidation, adding that such attempts would not succeed.

Reaffirming the party’s values, Danlami said the SDP remains committed to internal democracy, the rule of law and institutional integrity, noting that unity and constitutional order are central to its survival and growth.

The forum maintained that the recent Supreme Court ruling did not alter the party’s leadership structure in any way and warned that all attempts to destabilise the party would be resisted.

“The SDP is a party founded on law, order and internal democracy. We will continue to defend its unity and integrity against every form of sabotage,” Danlami said.

Former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has warned President Bola Tinubu against repeating what she described as a major shortcoming of the Muhammadu Buhari administration: the failure to remove underperforming officials in good time.

Her views are contained in a new book, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, written by Dr Charles Omole and presented at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In the book, Aisha Buhari offers a candid assessment of her late husband’s leadership style, identifying emotional restraint and fear of public backlash as key factors that limited decisive action against non-performing appointees.

According to her, President Buhari often hesitated to dismiss officials who failed to deliver because of sympathy linked to age and declining capacity, as well as concern about being labelled authoritarian.

She recalls him saying that removing certain appointees would revive accusations of dictatorship, a fear she believes gradually enabled mediocrity within government.

Aisha Buhari argues that the popular notion of “the devil you know” became an excuse for retaining ineffective officials even when governance suffered.

She said her own standard was straightforward: if an official benefitted personally from office but delivered at least half of expected results, tolerance was possible; but where there was neither performance nor value, removal was necessary.

She noted that within the family, there was a shared understanding that Buhari’s reluctance to sack non-performers became a structural weakness of his administration.

This, she said, was compounded by close aides and relatives who used emotional appeals, flattery and delay tactics to shield loyalists from accountability.

The former First Lady also recounted a tense episode involving security agencies, who allegedly suggested she temporarily relocate from Abuja to allow investigations into some associates to proceed unhindered.

She said she rejected the proposal, after which Buhari became noticeably withdrawn.

Even after leaving office, she claimed Buhari privately appealed to President Tinubu not to probe certain relatives, citing personal dependence on them.

For Aisha Buhari, the episode illustrated the danger of emotional dependence at the highest level of power.

She also revisited Buhari’s widely criticised Berlin remark about her “belonging to the kitchen and the other room,” describing it as misplaced barracks humour that failed on the global stage.

She maintained that the issue was not the joke itself, but its delivery in a formal international setting alongside then German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Aisha Buhari dismissed rumours of remarriage, saying she has no intention of marrying again.

Her current focus, she said, is philanthropy, particularly the cardiac and metabolic centre in Kano, which she noted has carried out over 200 procedures as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on medical tourism.

She framed her reflections as lessons for President Tinubu and future leaders, urging them to set firm boundaries early, separate family interests from state affairs, confront incompetence promptly and resist governing by fear of public opinion.

To underscore her point, she recalled an incident shortly after Buhari’s victory in 2015, when part of her security convoy was reassigned to a powerful relative.

She said she demanded an immediate reversal, which was carried out within minutes.

Aisha Buhari stressed that her comments were not driven by bitterness or blame but by a desire for Nigeria’s leadership to learn from past errors.

She warned that unchecked loyalty, emotional restraint and prolonged silence could weaken governance.

Her message to President Tinubu, she said, is simple: decisiveness is not dictatorship, and delay in confronting failure carries a national price.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State has trained 1,300 ward agents ahead of its planned electronic membership registration exercise, scheduled to begin in January 2026.

The party said the exercise would be concluded before the January 30, 2026 deadline set by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.

Speaking in Enugu on Saturday, the APC e-registration coordinator in the state, Flavour Eze, said the agents were trained across four centres to ensure a smooth and error-free registration process.

According to him, five agents were trained in each of the state’s 260 wards.

Eze explained that the training was designed to equip the ward agents with the technical and organisational skills required for the exercise, stressing that accuracy and proper documentation were critical to the success of the registration.

He described the agents as the backbone of the party at the grassroots level and urged them to fully apply the knowledge acquired during the training to ensure effective delivery.

The coordinator also disclosed that the party planned to extend its mobilisation efforts to communities and villages by engaging canvassers to drive wider participation and attract new members into the party.

Eze further noted that the Enugu State Government was supportive of the registration exercise and would provide the necessary logistics to ensure its success.

He encouraged residents of the state to appreciate what he described as the government’s commitment to empowerment initiatives and inclusive political participation.

The APC said the e-registration exercise was part of broader efforts to strengthen its grassroots structure and expand its membership base across Enugu State.