Tinubu’s Tax Laws: A Misguided Assault On The Nigerian Citizenry

By ‘Bike Ogbuokiri—

The administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been heralded as a new dawn for Nigeria, a nation rife with challenges yet brimming with potential.

However, on the precipice of implementing a new tax regime, it is imperative to unveil the sharp hypocrisy and travesty that lies in wait.

Those in the know assert that the new Tinubu tax laws cannot be allowed to take effect until the glaring disarray of the nation’s governance is recognized and addressed.

The government must understand that profound responsibility accompanies leadership—a responsibility tragically overlooked by those in power.

Firstly, let’s address the elephant in the room: I will not fund the lifestyle of politicians and their cronies with 25% of my hard-earned money.

The audacity of this government to impose hefty tax burdens on its citizens while maintaining an aristocratic lifestyle for its political elite is nothing short of insulting.

Every public servant in Nigeria has held political power and is subsequently bestowed with obnoxious lifetime gratuities that perpetuate a model of governance tainted with an appalling sense of entitlement.

Politicians seem to have entered a pact where they maintain a luxurious lifestyle funded by taxpayers, while citizens suffer under crushing economic pressures. We are paying to sustain cars, houses, and healthcare for former public office holders, all while the average Nigerian grapples with inadequate access to fundamental needs.

This is the same administration that has been at the helm of a system where the harsh realities of daily life—poor infrastructure, inadequate education, and substandard healthcare—are utterly ignored.

As President Tinubu attempts to usher in new tax laws, he must first face critical self-inquiry: What justification does he offer for the enormous taxation of the populace in a country plagued by inefficiency? Consider this: Nigerians are forced to pay for their own security and still find themselves negotiating ransoms with kidnappers. We foot the bill for our electricity, relying on exorbitantly priced alternative solutions in the absence of functional public infrastructure. Moreover, the roads, which could be termed ‘national disgrace,’ are dilapidated and unsafe.

Nationwide public transportation, a fundamental aspect of civilized society, is nonexistent. Citizens pay heavily to move their goods and services, but what are they getting in return? The roads are perilous, and the infrastructure is crumbling. Hospitals and schools are mostly dilapidated, meant to serve a citizenry that is constantly sidelined while politicians—men who have pledged to serve the people—ineffectively enrich themselves. Tinubu must point to tangible improvements and results acquired from the removal of the fuel subsidy. Where are the new rail lines? Where are the hospitals?

Where are the roads that could connect a deeply fractured nation? His failure to articulate these accomplishments leaves a gaping hole in his reasoning for new taxes.

Let’s put aside the traditional reverence for those in political positions. Tinubu, like anyone else in power, must be held accountable. He is not an autocrat; he is a man who occupies a seat of trust. His position does not exempt him from the probing eyes of the citizenry. Rather, it begs the question: what will he do to prove that he can be trusted with the citizens’ money?

We see a pattern emerging. The government’s refusal to release details pertaining to benefits from the students’ loan scheme, despite pleas from informed citizens, only amplifies the clamor for transparency. In a democratic society, we demand answers. We are not subjects beneath a king’s rule.

The government cannot plan to tax the very people it considers beneath it. Every democratic government exists because of the will of its people, the citizens who pay taxes. As they say, “he who pays the piper dictates the tunes.” It is time for the Nigerian citizenry to take back control and question how our money is spent, not with shyness, but with righteous indignation.

The Tinubu administration must recognize that the era where politicians squander public funds on frivolities is over. As a taxpayer, I vehemently oppose my money being used to fund religious pilgrimages, nor do I wish to see the extensive financial emoluments of public servants endlessly swell. A society that rewards a barely literate senator with a staggering salary while a learned professor toils under the weight of a meager pay packet is a society on the verge of chaos.

This displacement of values, where education and moral integrity are spat upon, ultimately endangers our collective human capital. In Nigeria, militants and bandits are absurdly elevated over the gallant police and military personnel who safeguard our lives. Instead of upliftment, we see leaders who reward mediocrity and allegiance to corruption.

Those who sacrifice their lives to maintain order in our streets should not be overshadowed by the morally bankrupt, ineffectual power brokers that litter our political landscape.

The corruption simmering beneath the surface of President Tinubu’s leadership is an unbearable stench that will deter any potential effective use of new tax proceeds. We have a government that appears to gather all resources for its benefit, enshrining a culture of “us vs. them.” Instead of unity, capital is carved up amongst a circle of cronies, creating an invisible divide between the privileged and the underprivileged.

The government has shown time and again that it cannot be trusted with “sacrificial” funds—namely, new taxes—when it hasn’t met its existing obligations. Citizens have been subjected to a plethora of empty promises without any tangible results.

This is unacceptable in a country rich with resources, yet where the average citizen is begging for basic needs. This system, where politicians are allowed to live lavishly at the expense of a struggling populace, must be reevaluated immediately.

As we stand before the precipice of these new tax laws, it is vital to outline the expectations of the Nigerian people. The planned taxation system must be suspended indefinitely until existing services are provided and improvements are tangibly seen. This is not merely a matter of bureaucratic red tape, but a tribute to the dignity and value of every hardworking citizen.

Previously, in January 2012, a fuel subsidy removal led to widespread protests throughout the nation, triggered by the policies of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The uproar outlined a collective frustration that should not be brushed aside in today’s political atmosphere. History must not repeat itself, but lessons must guide the way forward.

Nigeria is at a turning point. The Tinubu administration must heed the voices of its people. There must be recognition that income, labor, and resources are not tools for political expediency; they are the fuel for progress, as designed by those who toil for a better life. To tax without providing results is not merely a fiscal policy; it is a betrayal of trust.

Nigeria deserves better from its leaders—better governance, better accountability, and above all, better prospects for its citizens. Until these issues are resolved, let there be no implementation of Tinubu’s tax laws. The time for compliance has passed; the time for action has arrived.