NANS Declares National Protest Against Implementation of Tax Reform Law

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has announced plans to mobilize students nationwide to protest against the implementation of the Tax Reform Law, citing unresolved issues in the gazetted law and lack of proper engagement by the government.

In a statement released on Tuesday, NANS National President, Comrade Olushola Oladoja, faulted the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for proceeding with the law’s implementation from January 1, 2026, despite lingering concerns about its provisions.

“The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) expresses its profound disappointment and total lack of confidence in the fiscal and economic advisers surrounding President Bola Tinubu, whose misguided counsel has pushed the administration toward an avoidable national confrontation over the controversial Tax Reform Law,” Oladoja said.

NANS accused FIRS and the Presidency of failing to engage stakeholders and the public in meaningful consultations, calling the decision to implement the law without widespread consensus “undemocratic and dangerous.”

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“Nigeria is a constitutional democracy, not a dictatorship. No policy, no matter how well-intentioned, can be forcefully implemented without the consent of the majority,” Oladoja said. He warned that the law, as currently implemented, could have painful economic consequences for many Nigerians.

The student body also highlighted that civil society organizations, youth groups, and student bodies have expressed strong reservations about the law, urging the government to suspend its implementation until issues regarding constitutional integrity, transparency, and public awareness are fully addressed.

As part of its response, NANS has declared Tuesday, January 14, 2026, as a National Day of Action, calling on students from all campus chapters, state zonal coordinators, and national secretariats to converge at Unity Fountain, Abuja, for a peaceful mass protest and march to the Presidential Villa.

“Our demands remain clear, non-negotiable, and just: Immediate suspension of the implementation of the otherwise beautiful but deeply controversial Tax Reform Law,” Oladoja said. He stressed that NANS will continue to pursue peaceful engagement, democracy, and national development, but will resist any attempt to impose policies without transparency, consent, and constitutional compliance.

NANS Declares National Protest Against Implementation of Tax Reform Law

Labour Party Reacts to Peter Obi’s Defection to ADC, Calls 2023 Candidacy ‘Mistake’

The Labour Party (LP) has reacted to the defection of its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, along with some of his supporters, to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the move as a long-awaited development that “liberates” the party.

Obi, the former Anambra State governor, and some of his allies, including serving federal lawmakers, officially joined the ADC on Wednesday during a ceremony held in Enugu State. In response, the Labour Party mocked Obi’s speech, describing it as “lacklustre” and questioning what new vision he intends to offer Nigerians.

According to a statement signed by the national publicity secretary of the Julius Abure faction, Obiora Ifoh, the party said Obi had lost the “charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023” and apologized to Nigerians for fielding “an unfitting presidential candidate” in the last election.

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“We have since September 2024 parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly. We have patiently waited for this day,” the statement said, adding that Obi’s defection is considered a blessing for the party.

The statement also blamed Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti for the internal crisis within the Labour Party, accusing them of sponsoring an insurrection against the Julius Abure leadership. The party further claimed that the Enugu event was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East.

Labour Party leaders criticized Obi’s past performance, citing the South East’s marginalization in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government, including limited ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation.

“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in the Tinubu government because they trusted him in 2023,” the statement said.

The party urged Nigerians to remain attentive, promising to present a strong presidential candidate capable of restoring the nation to its “glorious days.”

Labour Party Reacts to Peter Obi’s Defection to ADC, Calls 2023 Candidacy ‘Mistake’

Peter Obi Directs Labour Party Members to Register with ADC Ahead of 2027

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has directed all Labour Party members and supporters in Imo State to immediately register with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following his formal alignment with the opposition coalition.

The directive was conveyed in a statement signed on Wednesday in Owerri by the Imo State Labour Party Acting Chairman, Chief Innocent NwaDavid.

According to the statement, the instruction aligns with Peter Obi’s decision to declare for the ADC, describing the party as the political platform he will use to pursue his presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The statement urged zonal chairmen, local government and ward chairmen, as well as members of the Labour Party and Obedient Movement who believe in Obi’s leadership, to follow suit by registering with the ADC.

“All Zonal Chairmen, LGA and Ward Chairmen, and Labour Party/Obedients members that believe in His Excellency Peter Obi are to follow suit by registering with the ADC,” the statement said.

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“This is the political vehicle he will use to actualise his presidential ambition.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Peter Obi, alongside other prominent political leaders from the South-East geopolitical zone, formally declared for the African Democratic Congress, marking a major shift in the opposition’s political landscape.

Speaking at the declaration event, Obi described the move as the beginning of a collective effort to rescue Nigeria from poor governance, particularly under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Today is an important day; today is the last day of 2025. We are ending this year with the hope that, in 2026, we will begin a journey to rescue our country for proper socio-economic development that will be unifying and inclusive,” Obi said.

He further accused beneficiaries of Nigeria’s democracy of undermining the system through coercion and political intimidation, vowing that the opposition coalition would resist such actions.

“We have watched those who benefited from our democracy become accessories to destroying it. We cannot allow this to continue, and we will resist it,” he added.

Peter Obi Directs Labour Party Members to Register with ADC Ahead of 2027