New Tax Law Not Weapon Against Poor – Lagos APC

Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has said the new tax law is not a weapon against the poor or aimed or an attempt to overburden struggling Nigerians.

The party decried what it termed the wave of misinformation, sensationalism, and deliberate political mischief surrounding the Federal Government’s new tax reform agenda.

A statement by the spokesman of the state arm of the party, Seye Oladejo, said the record should be set straight in the interest of truth, national stability, and informed civic engagement.

According to Oladejo: “First, it must be clearly stated that the new tax reform is not a weapon against the poor, nor is it an attempt to overburden struggling Nigerians. On the contrary, the reform is deliberately structured to protect low-income earners, expand exemptions, and introduce a more progressive, fair, and humane tax system that aligns with global best practices.

“Contrary to the alarmist narratives peddled by the opposition, Nigerians earning within the lowest income brackets are either fully exempt or will experience reduced tax exposure under the new regime.

“The reform targets efficiency, equity, and accountability – not punishment. Those who have chosen to weaponize falsehoods against this policy have done so out of either ignorance or calculated desperation.

“The truth is simple: Nigeria can no longer run a modern economy on an archaic, fragmented, and oil-dependent tax structure. For decades, the nation suffered from multiple taxation, overlapping mandates, leakages, and weak enforcement -a system that stifled businesses, discouraged investment, and rewarded tax evasion. This reform decisively confronts those failures.”

He disclosed that for businesses, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the reform simplifies compliance, removes nuisance taxes, and creates a more predictable fiscal environment.

“For large corporations, it promotes fairness by ensuring that profitable entities contribute their equitable share to national development. This is not anti-business; it is pro-growth, pro-investment, and pro-Nigeria,” he added.