The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, insisting that the country cannot tax its way out of poverty but must focus on production to achieve growth.
Obi made the remarks on Friday in a post on his X handle, where he argued that prosperity cannot be achieved by taxing an already impoverished population.
According to him, Nigeria must rethink its taxation policies if it is serious about economic growth, national unity and shared prosperity, stressing that the goal of sound fiscal policy is to make citizens wealthier, not poorer.
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“You cannot tax your way out of poverty, you must produce your way out of it,” Obi said.
Obi who was the former governor of Anambra State, noted that from his interactions with leaders who have transformed their countries, lasting economic and social progress is built on national consensus and honest leadership.
He said governments must be transparent and truthful, adding that true leaders do not exploit citizens to enrich themselves and a few associates, but instead build trust and unity as the foundation for sustainable development.
He argued that Nigeria’s current approach to taxation falls short of this standard, warning that taxation can only serve as a social contract if it is rooted in fairness, sincerity and concern for citizens’ welfare.
According to him, every tax policy should be clearly explained to citizens, including its impact on incomes and its contribution to national development, noting that without transparency, taxation becomes a burden rather than a tool for growth.
Furthermore, he expressed concern over what he described as an ongoing tax fraud controversy, claiming that for the first time in the country’s history, a tax law had reportedly been forged.
He alleged that the National Assembly had admitted that the version of the tax law gazetted was different from what lawmakers passed, yet Nigerians were being asked to pay higher taxes under what he called a manipulated framework.
“There is no virtue in celebrating increased government revenue while the people grow poorer,” Obi said, adding that taxing poverty only deepens hardship and undermines good governance.
THE WHISTLER reports that the National Assembly has invited members of the public to review the recently passed tax laws, following allegations that copies in circulation differ from those approved by parliament.
The leadership of the 10th National Assembly directed the Clerk to produce the Votes and Proceedings of lawmakers in both chambers, alongside the gazetted versions of the tax Acts. The move comes after controversy triggered by claims of alleged alterations to the bills.
During plenary, Sokoto lawmaker Abdussamad Dasuki had alleged that the versions of the tax laws circulating publicly differed materially from those approved by the National Assembly.
In response, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, constituted an ad-hoc committee chaired by Borno lawmaker Muktar Betara to investigate the claims and report back to the House for further legislative action.
In a statement issued late Wednesday, the Clerk to the National Assembly, through the Director of Information, Bullah Bi-Allah, invited public input as part of efforts to resolve the controversy.
The statement read in part: “The leadership of the National Assembly has taken note of public discussions concerning alleged discrepancies between the Votes and Proceedings of the National Assembly and the gazetted versions of recently passed Tax Acts.
“In response to public calls for transparency, the leadership of the National Assembly has directed the Clerk to make available the transmitted tax bills duly signed by the President, including the certificate pages. This step will allow members of the public to independently review the documents and verify the facts.”
However, despite the controversy, Obi called for a fair, lawful and people-centred tax system that supports production, empowers small and medium-sized enterprises, protects the vulnerable and restores trust between government and citizens as a way to foster growth and unity within the country.