The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned the silence of President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the alleged alteration of the country’s tax laws.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Obi decried what he described as a continuing national shame in Nigeria, noting that it is evident in decisions made at even the highest levels of government.
“This shame is highlighted by a deeply troubling—and frankly unacceptable—issue: the documented discrepancies between what the legislature passed and what was ultimately published as law by the executive.
“This is not merely an administrative oversight; it is a serious matter that strikes at the core of constitutional governance and reveals the extent of our institutional decay. We have transitioned from a Nigeria where budgets are padded to one where laws are forged—changes that impact taxpayers’ rights and, most importantly, access to justice,” he stated.
Obi also lamented the introduction of new enforcement and coercive powers that the House of Representatives never approved. These include what he described as an “outrageous” requirement for a mandatory 20% deposit before appeals can be heard in court, the sale of assets without judicial oversight, and the granting of arrest powers to tax authorities.
“Perhaps most disturbing is the silence of the Presidency on a matter involving allegations of forgery, institutional sabotage, and abuse of process. Who made these alterations?” he queried.
According to him, all of these issues must be made public, stressing that Nigerians need to understand what was signed, what was passed, and what was formally recorded.
The former Anambra State governor emphasised that Nigeria cannot continue to ask citizens to pay more taxes while trust in governance continues to collapse.
He added that the country needs leadership that follows due process, embraces transparency and accountability, and respects the rule of law, asserting that no nation can thrive where laws are forged and silence replaces leadership.
