- He raised concerns over newly introduced enforcement measures, including mandatory deposits before appeals can be heard
- According to Obi, Nigeria cannot demand greater sacrifices from citizens through increased taxation
- The proposal was based on a crude oil benchmark of $64.85 per barrel, production of 1.84 million barrels per day
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused the Federal Government of presiding over what he described as a dangerous distortion of Nigeria’s legislative process following the presentation of the 2026 national budget.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Obi made the allegation in a statement shared via his official X handle on Saturday, shortly after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill before a joint sitting of the National Assembly.
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In the statement titled “Migrating from Padded Budgets to Forged Laws,” Obi warned that discrepancies between bills passed by lawmakers and laws eventually enforced by the executive pose a serious threat to constitutional governance and public trust.
President Tinubu, while presenting the budget proposal, announced a capital expenditure of ₦26.08 trillion, projected revenue of ₦34.33 trillion, and a budget deficit of ₦23.85 trillion, representing 4.28 per cent of GDP.
The proposal was based on a crude oil benchmark of $64.85 per barrel, production of 1.84 million barrels per day, and an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the dollar.
However, Obi alleged that certain provisions being implemented were not approved by the National Assembly, describing the situation as a shift from budget padding to outright manipulation of laws.
He raised concerns over newly introduced enforcement measures, including mandatory deposits before appeals can be heard, expanded asset seizure powers, and arrest authority for tax agencies, insisting that such provisions were never sanctioned by lawmakers.
The former Anambra State governor also criticised the silence of the Presidency on the matter, calling for full disclosure of who altered the documents and how such changes were introduced.
According to Obi, Nigeria cannot demand greater sacrifices from citizens through increased taxation while confidence in governance continues to erode, stressing that transparency, due process and accountability remain essential for national stability.
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