Peter Obi Criticizes Tinubu Administration for Overburdening Citizens with Excessive Taxes

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has strongly criticized the federal government’s decision to introduce a 5% tax on all refined fossil fuel sales, including petrol and diesel.

In a statement shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account late Wednesday, Obi expressed concern that the new tax measure would only deepen the financial burden on struggling Nigerians.

“At a time when millions of Nigerians can barely afford transportation, they are now being forced to pay an extra 5% tax on fuel and diesel,” Obi lamented. “Instead of alleviating hardship, the government continues to pile more pressure on the people.”

He questioned the rationale behind the timing of the policy, arguing that the tax should have been delayed until citizens began to see meaningful benefits from the government’s promises under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Obi also highlighted the irony of the move, noting that the president had recently claimed the country had already met its revenue targets for the year. “If our revenues are truly ‘excessive,’ shouldn’t they be directed toward critical sectors like education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation, rather than taxing already-overburdened citizens?” he queried.

The former Anambra State governor further pointed out the sharp rise in the cost of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), an alternative fuel source, which has spiked from around ₦230 to ₦450 — despite earlier promises of subsidies. He accused the government of quietly abandoning those commitments.

“Leadership,” Obi said, “is about reducing suffering, not increasing it. It is rooted in compassion and care, not in shifting more burden onto the shoulders of the people.”