Peter Obi accuses FG of forging tax laws, demands full disclosure

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

The allegations follow recent revelations in the House of Representatives about discrepancies in the gazetted versions of the four tax reform acts signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement shared on his X handle on Saturday, Obi described the situation as a shift from “padded budgets” to “forged laws,” warning that such manipulations undermine constitutional governance and erode public trust.

He alleged that unapproved insertions in the recently enacted tax laws include a mandatory 20 percent deposit requirement for tax-related court appeals, provisions allowing asset sales without judicial oversight, and powers granting tax authorities the right to arrest citizens. Obi called these measures “outrageous” and coercive, directly affecting 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,” Obi said.

He criticized the Presidency’s silence on the matter, describing it as “deeply disturbing” given the serious allegations of forgery, institutional sabotage, and abuse of process.

Obi demanded full disclosure of the versions passed by the national assembly, signed by the president, and ultimately gazetted, stressing that Nigerians must know the laws they are required to obey.

“Nigerians need to understand what was signed, what was passed, and what was formally recorded,” he said. “We cannot continue to ask citizens to pay more taxes while trust in governance collapses.”

He concluded by calling for leadership rooted in due process, transparency, and accountability, emphasizing that no nation can advance where laws are manipulated.