Peter Obi Decries Budget Padding, Forged Laws as Nigeria’s National Shame

Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate for the Labour Party, has accused Nigeria’s federal administration of making decisions that leave many concerns unanswered.

Peter Obi claims that the public is quickly losing faith in the government.

He called on the government to be more accountable, open, and respectful of the law.

In a post on Saturday on his 𝕏 account, the former governor of Anambra State said that there are differences in laws enacted by the legislature and what the executive eventually declared as law.

He bemoaned the fact that the government is now creating laws instead of just padding the budget.

Obi specifically stated that the House of Representatives never authorized the new enforcement and coercive powers being introduced by the government.

Naija News is aware Obi’s remarks came amid accusations made by Abdulsammad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives, regarding differences between the official versions of tax laws published by the executive branch and those passed by the National Assembly.

The former presidential candidate emphasized that Nigerians must comprehend what was signed, enacted, and officially documented. He also stated that the government cannot keep requesting more taxes from the populace while public confidence in the government is eroding.

“Even at the highest levels of government, the decisions made by our leaders continue to reveal our national shame,” he said. The documented differences between what was enacted by the legislature and what was eventually promulgated as law by the president serve as a stark reminder of this humiliation. This is a serious issue that goes to the heart of constitutional governance and exposes the depth of our institutional deterioration; it is not just an administrative oversight.

“We have moved from a Nigeria where budgets are padded to one where laws are forged—changes that affect the rights of taxpayers and, most importantly, access to justice.”

The addition of new enforcement and coercive powers that the House of Representatives never authorized is much more concerning. These include giving tax agents the authority to make arrests, selling assets without judicial review, and imposing an absurd 20% deposit requirement before appeals can be heard in court.

The President’s silence on accusations of falsification, institutional sabotage, and procedural abuse is perhaps the most unsettling. Who changed these things?

“This has to be made public. Nigerians must comprehend what was passed, signed, and officially documented. As public confidence in government erodes, we cannot keep asking taxpayers to pay higher taxes.

“We require leadership that respects the rule of law, upholds due process, and welcomes accountability and openness. Where laws are made and leadership is replaced by quiet, no country can prosper.

“We can create a new Nigeria. -PO.