Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has cautioned that Nigeria risks exacerbating suffering and eroding national cohesiveness by pursuing a tax structure that punishes an already impoverished populace.
He stated that genuine prosperity cannot be achieved by policies that impoverish citizens, emphasizing the need for economic growth based on trust, honesty, and productivity.
Obi made the remarks in a message posted on X, where he discussed taxation, leadership accountability, and the deteriorating social contract between the government and population.
The declaration, signed by the former governor, expresses his views on economic change, transparency, and people-centered governance.
Drawing on his interactions with leaders around the world, Obi stated that countries that accomplished long-term transformation did so by rallying their citizens around a shared vision based on truth. He contended that leadership without honesty kills consensus and undermines the basis of growth.
“As I travel the world and meet leaders who have transformed their nations, one lesson is clear: lasting economic and social progress begins with national consensus. Transformative leaders share a defining quality: honesty. Government must be transparent and truthful because citizens deserve nothing less from those who lead them,” Obi said.
He believed that taxation should function as a genuine social contract, based on honesty, justice, and care for residents’ well-being.
According to him, every tax policy should be fully stated, including its influence on income and contribution to national growth.
“If taxation is to function as a genuine social contract, it must be rooted in sincerity, fairness, and concern for the welfare of the people. Without transparency, taxation becomes a tool of confusion and burden rather than a mechanism for growth and development,” he said.
Obi emphasized that Nigeria’s fiscal dilemma is more than just increasing revenue; it is also about making residents wealthier so that the country can develop stronger.
He claimed that Nigerians are currently being asked to pay taxes with little clarity, reason, or demonstrable public benefit.
He emphasized the empowerment of small and medium-sized businesses as the first step toward long-term economic growth, saying that prospering small firms create jobs, improve wages, and naturally extend the tax base.
“The solution begins with empowering small and medium-sized enterprises in every community. You cannot tax your way out of poverty; you must produce your way out of it,” Obi said.
The former governor also expressed concern about what he described as an unparalleled tax fraud scandal, claiming that the tax code now in effect was not the version approved by the National Assembly.
He stated that reports show that the legislature has acknowledged differences between what was approved and what was ultimately gazetted.
“For the first time in Nigeria’s history, a tax law has reportedly been forged. Yet citizens are being asked to pay higher taxes under this manipulated framework, without transparency, explanation, or corresponding benefits,” Obi said.
He cautioned against celebrating rising government revenue while residents became poorer, suggesting that such outcomes indicate a failure of governance rather than success.
According to him, taxing poverty does not create riches but rather perpetuates hardship.
“There is no virtue in celebrating increased government revenue while the people grow poorer. Any tax system that makes citizens poorer violates the fundamental principles of good governance and sound fiscal policy,” he said.
Obi advocated for a fair, lawful, and people-centered tax system that promotes production, rewards enterprise, protects the weak, and rebuilds confidence between government and residents, claiming that only such a strategy can transform taxation into a true tool for unity, growth, and shared prosperity.
