The Digest:
In a sharp rebuke after President Bola Tinubu’s ₦58.18 trillion 2026 budget presentation, former presidential candidate Peter Obi has accused the Federal Government of overseeing the fabrication of laws, warning that Nigeria has shifted “from padded budgets to forged laws.” In a detailed statement on X, Obi highlighted alleged discrepancies between the legislature’s passed documents and those published by the executive, framing it as institutional decay.
Key Points:
- Obi’s statement titled “Migrating from Padded Budgets to Forged Laws” called the issue a “national shame”
- He cited unapproved additions like a mandatory 20% deposit before tax appeals can be heard in court
- Other alleged insertions include asset sales without judicial oversight and arrest powers for tax authorities
- Obi questioned the Presidency’s silence on what he termed “forgery, institutional sabotage, and abuse of process”
- He demanded full transparency on “what was signed, what was passed, and what was formally recorded”
- The former candidate tied the allegation to eroding public trust amid calls for higher taxes
- Obi stressed that no nation thrives “where laws are forged, and silence replaces leadership”
- The accusation follows Tinubu’s Friday budget presentation to a joint session of the National Assembly
Sources: Channels Television, Peter Obi (X)
