Nigeria has transitioned from padded budgets to forged laws – Obi

Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has accused the federal government of altering laws passed by the national assembly before they were gazetted.

The allegations stem from recent concerns raised in the house of representatives over discrepancies in the gazetted versions of the four tax reform acts signed by President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, Obi described the development as a migration from “padded budgets” to “forged laws”.

He said the discrepancies between what the legislature approved and what was published as law undermined constitutional governance and erodes public trust.

Obi alleged that there are unapproved insertions in the recently enacted tax reform laws, including a mandatory 20 percent deposit requirement for tax-related court appeals, provisions for asset sales without judicial oversight, and powers granting tax authorities the right to arrest citizens.

Obi described these additions as “outrageous” coercive measures that directly affect taxpayers’ rights and access to justice.

“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 said.

”Even more alarming is the introduction of new enforcement and coercive powers that the House of Representatives never approved.

”These include an outrageous requirement for a mandatory 20% deposit before appeals can be heard in court, asset sales without judicial oversight, and the granting of arrest powers to tax authorities.

“The silence of the Presidency on a matter involving allegations of forgery, institutional sabotage, and abuse of process is deeply disturbing.”

The former Anambra governor demanded full disclosure of the versions passed by the national assembly, signed by the president, and eventually gazetted.

“Nigerians need to understand what was signed, what was passed, and what was formally recorded,” Obi added.

“We cannot continue to ask citizens to pay more taxes while trust in governance collapses.”

He called for leadership rooted in due process, transparency, and accountability, warning that no nation can progress where laws are manipulated. (The cable)