By Muhammad Salisu
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has slammed Nigeria's tax system, saying it's unfair and targets the poor while shielding the wealthy.
In a statement posted on Friday on his social media accounts including X and Facebook, Obi emphasised that taxation should be rooted in transparency, fairness, and concern for citizens' welfare.
Obi stressed that leaders who transform nations prioritize honesty, transparency, and truthfulness, ensuring citizens understand tax policies and their impact on national development.
However, the former presidential candidate lamented that Nigerians are asked to pay taxes without clarity or visible benefits, making taxation a tool of confusion rather than growth.
"Every tax policy should be clearly explained, including its impact on incomes and its expected contribution to national development," Obi said.
He emphasised that taxing poverty won't bring prosperity, citing that the solution lies in empowering small and medium-sized enterprises to create jobs and expand the tax base.
He also criticised the controversial ongoing tax saga, saying a "forged tax law is being used to extract higher taxes from citizens without transparency or benefits."
"The National Assembly itself has admitted that the version gazetted is not what was passed into law," Obi noted.
He stressed that celebrating increased government revenue while citizens grow poorer is misguided.
Moreso, Obi called for a fair, lawful, and people-centered tax system that supports production, rewards enterprise, and protects the vulnerable.
"A tax system that makes citizens poorer violates good governance principles," he said.
He urged Nigerians to demand transparency and accountability in tax policies.
Mr. Obi therefore emphasised that taxation should be a social contract, not a tool for exploitation.
Nigeria needs a tax system that prioritizes citizens' welfare and promotes shared prosperity, Obi concluded.
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