The Peoples Democratic Party PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 and his Labour Party LP counterpart, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi respectively have demanded investigation into the allegation of alteration of the laws.
They are asking relevant authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding the reported changes and ensure full compliance with due process.
They called for an independent probe to help restore public confidence, adding that transparency and accountability were critical in matters affecting national fiscal policy.
Atiku told The PUNCH that there was need to suspend the implementation and a thorough investigation into the allegations.
Atiku, who spoke through his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, said halting the implementation would allow for proper scrutiny by lawmakers and the public, and help safeguard the integrity of the legislative process.
“Something is wrong with this country. It is a very serious issue. Something has been appended to the law, and some people have gone ahead to alter it. This is falsification, and it is criminal. The big question is: what else has been doctored? What else has been falsified?
“This is dangerous, and it affirms the state capture the opposition warned about in our joint statement,” the former vice president said.
According to Obi, the development was as a dangerous escalation from poor governance to outright abuse of the law, adding that the alleged alterations threaten the Constitution.
Obi said public trust in governance was rapidly eroding, as Nigerians could not be forced to pay heavier taxes.
The former governor of Anambra State said on his X handle, that the alleged alteration as not merely an administrative oversight but “a serious matter that strikes at the core of constitutional governance and reveals the extent of our institutional decay.”
Obi said “We have transitioned from a Nigeria where budgets are padded to one where laws are forged, changes that impact taxpayers’ rights and, most importantly, access to justice.
“Even more alarming is the introduction of new enforcement and coercive powers that the House of Representatives never approved.
These include an outrageous requirement for a mandatory 20 per cent deposit before appeals can be heard in court, asset sales without judicial oversight, and the granting of arrest powers to tax authorities.
“Who made these alterations? All of this must be made public. Nigerians need to understand what was signed, what was passed, and what was formally recorded. We cannot continue to ask citizens to pay more taxes while trust in governance collapses.”
