THE Federal High Court in Abuja has given the Federal Government the go-ahead to implement the new tax regime, despite protests from various groups.

THE court, in a ruling, struck out an application filed by the Incorporated Trustees of African Initiative for Abuse Public Trustees, which sought to halt the implementation of the new tax laws.

THE plaintiff had approached the court, naming the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and other top government officials as defendants, over alleged discrepancies in the new tax legislation.

HOWEVER, the court held that the application lacked merit and failed to establish sufficient legal grounds for the grant of the reliefs sought.

THE judge ruled that the plaintiff did not demonstrate how the implementation of the new tax laws would occasion irreparable harm or amount to a violation of constitutional provisions.

IN a related development, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has warned that the government will put itself into trouble by implementing the laws, adding that there are interest groups ready to challenge the legitimacy of the laws.

FALANA also threatened to drag the Federal Government to court over what he termed discriminatory policy which excluded some companies from paying tax.

HE said that under the new laws, some of those who make money are excluded from paying taxes, adding that the richest companies in Nigeria operate in free trade zones and are excluded from paying taxes and levies imposed by the federal, state, and local governments.

THE controversy surrounding the alleged alterations to the harmonised version of the Acts passed by the National Assembly has also sparked a warning from a group of former federal lawmakers.

THE group, under the aegis of House to the Rescue, has offered the sum of N3m to any lawmaker who can produce an authentic copy of the harmonised version transmitted to President Tinubu for assent.

FORMER presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dumebi Kachikwu, has also weighed in on the issue, saying it would be wrong to make citizens kick off a new year with additional taxes.

KACHIKWU likened the suffering of Nigerians in present-day Nigeria to the biblical story of the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt under Pharaoh.

EXECUTIVE Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Musa Rafsanjani, has also warned against the hasty implementation of the tax laws, saying it would amount to a breach of the constitutional lawmaking process.

THE Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has dismissed concerns that the newly enacted tax reforms were designed to inflict economic hardship on Nigerians.

BAMIDELE said that the legislation is a people-centred intervention aimed at strengthening the country's fiscal base and improving living standards.

HE urged Nigerians to study the provisions of the Tax Reforms Act and avoid being swayed by misinformation.

THE Senate will not shirk its responsibilities of guiding and offering necessary advice to other arms of government in line with the principle of checks and balances, and in the overall interest of our nation and its people, he said.