Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the Nigerian Presidency over alleged alterations to laws passed by the National Assembly, describing the government’s silence as a threat to transparency and constitutional governance.
In a statement on Saturday, Obi highlighted discrepancies between what the legislature approved and what was ultimately published as law, calling it a “serious breakdown in proper legislative procedure.
”He warned that these changes could negatively impact taxpayers’ rights and citizens’ access to justice.
Obi pointed out that new enforcement and coercive powers were introduced without approval from the House of Representatives.
These include a mandatory 20% deposit before appeals can be heard in court, the ability to sell assets without judicial oversight, and granting arrest powers to tax authorities.
He said, “Migrating from padded budgets to forged laws, our national shame continues to unfold. This is not merely an administrative oversight; it strikes at the core of constitutional governance and highlights the depth of institutional decay.”
“We have moved from a system of inflated budgets to one where laws themselves are manipulated, directly affecting taxpayers and their access to justice.”
Obi stressed that the public has the right to know who made the alterations and called on the Presidency to provide clarity.
“All of this must be made public. Nigerians need to understand what was signed, what was passed, and what was formally recorded. Trust in governance is collapsing, and we cannot continue asking citizens to pay more taxes under these conditions,” he said.
He urged leaders to respect due process, uphold transparency and accountability, and ensure that laws serve citizens rather than undermine them.
