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Constitutional Impediments to the Effective Review of Tax Cases in Nigeria by a Specialized Tax Court: Lessons from the United States and Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2020

Jirinwayo Jude Odinkonigbo*
Affiliation:
University of Nigeria

Abstract

The use of experts in the review of tax cases is recognized globally. Nigeria appears to appreciate the importance of this practice. However, several previous attempts to establish tax courts or tribunals have been frustrated due to a lack of constitutional support. In the search for a better model for Nigeria, this article examines the US and Canadian experiences of using specialized tax courts or tribunals to see what lessons Nigeria could learn. The two north American experiments justify the use of tax courts as better alternatives to what Nigeria currently has. In particular, the Canadian experience appears to be more suited to the Nigerian context. Therefore, it is argued that Nigeria's 1999 Constitution should be amended to establish a Tax Court of Nigeria, which should be recognized as a superior court of record.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London, 2020

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Footnotes

*

PhD (Osgoode), LLM (Yale), LLM (Dalhousie), LLB (Enugu). Senior lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Nsukka; partner, Alliance Law Firm.

References

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11 Federal Revenue Decree No 13 of 1973.

12 Id, sec 7.

13 1979 Constitution, sec 1.

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15 1979 Constitution, sec 236.

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24 This decree repealed the Sales Tax Decree No 7 of 1986.

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27 (2009) 13 NWLR 201 (pt 1157) 200.

28 FIRS (Establishment) Act, 2007, fifth sched, para 17.

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35 1979 Constitution, sec 236.

36 The government of General Abdulsalam Abubakar handed over power to the newly elected civilian government of President Olusegun Obasanjo on 29 May 1999.

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38 NNPC and Another v Orhiowasele and Others (2013) LPELR-20341 (SC); NDIC v Okem Enterprise Ltd and Another (2004) LPELR-1999 (SC); Ntuks and Others v NPA (2011) LPELR-8876 (CA).

39 (2016) LPELR-40612 (SC) at 62–63, paras D–C.

40 See FIRS Act, fifth sched, para 17.

41 See Odinkonigbo and Ezeuko “Does Nigeria follow?”, above at note 30.

43 (2017) LPELR-43800 (CA).

44 (2017) LPELR-42868 (CA).

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62 26 US Code (2019), sec 7482(a).

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74 The Tax Court was established by SC 1980-81-82-83, c 158, as amended.

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80 These sub-issues are not exhaustive.

82 28 February 2019 - 2019 TCC 47.

83 The TCC gave this decision contrary to the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in R v Conway [2010] 1 SCR 765, which empowered administrative tribunals to consider and grant equitable relief under the charter.

84 30 April 2014 - 2014 BCSC 720.