2027: Nigerians will be in trouble if APC wins – Amaechi
Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has warned that Nigerians could face severe economic hardship if the All Progressives Congress (APC) retains power in 2027, alleging that a controversial tax policy would be enforced immediately after the elections.
Speaking at a political gathering, Amaechi declared: “Now, simple, by January, February next year, all of you will be in trouble if APC wins.”
He claimed that a tax law had been deliberately delayed until after the elections.
“Go and check, what do you check, there is a tax law, biko jor Tinibu, why is the tax law not being implemented? Wo jor election? Immediately after election, APC will implement the tax law.”
Explaining what he described as the implications of the policy, he said: “The tax law is, if I pay you 100 million Naira for your building materials, automatically 25 million will leave your account.”
Challenging doubters, Amaechi added: “If you say it’s a lie, if you say it’s a lie, take my statement to your lawyer, tell your lawyer, give me the tax law and explain it to me. I’m a lawyer. I’m a lawyer,” he declared.
He broke down the figures further: “The moment I come here, you give me building materials, you say it’s 100 million, Tinubu will collect 25 million.
“If you say 20 million, Tinibu will collect 2.5 million. If you say it’s 500,000 Naira, Tinibu will collect 2,500, 25% of every payment you get will go to the federal government.”
According to him, the effect would cascade across sectors.
“How does this affect everybody? It doesn’t affect you alone. If I come and I’m a landlord and I’m building a house, you charge me 25% because you won’t get it alone. You will transfer it to the person who bought it. I will go and put 25% on the rent.
“If the rent, the man who rented the house is a doctor, to treat you, he will do what? If he’s a carpenter, what will he do?”
Although he said he was not opposed to taxation, Amaechi questioned how such revenue would be managed.
“You see, I don’t even mind the tax. What I mind is that even if I pay the tax, the money goes into private pockets.”
He urged Nigerians to vote and remain vigilant during the electoral process.
“Leave Ego (money) alone, leave Ego (money) alone and do what? And protect your future. Go and vote. When you vote, don’t go home.”
He added: “You will not have money to pay school fees, because if you build that house 25%, school fees will increase by 25%. This is not joke. I cannot say this in public if it’s a lie.
“If you say it’s a lie, If your son is a lawyer, call him, say, my son, explain to me what is this tax law? And ask your son, why is Tunibu not implementing it now? Why is he waiting for election to finish before he implements it?
“Not because of m lol Mo. Mo is one person. It is because by the time you come, people will not come to buy your goods again because there’s no money to buy the goods.”
“You will not be able to go around to buy more materials. If you want to survive, don’t look at my face. Whether you like me or not, it’s a immaterial, it is about you, it’s about your children.”
He alleged that the timing was politically calculated.
“He’s waiting to finish so that you don’t punish him.”
“If he implements the law, he will not even contest, because even his mother and brother will vote for us. But he has kept it aside, waiting for you to vote. After voting, if he’s lucky, then the law will come, then you will start crying, then I will start laughing.
“You know, I was in APC, all the people that were doing graga in APC, graga, grage, I was begging them all, I’m better than this man they said it’s a lie.
“Now, when I see them, I will start laughing like a madman. They say, why are you laughing? As I told you, 80% of them, he has sacked them.
“He has sacked Bajeru, he has sacked Ganduje, he has sacked El-Rufai, everybody, they are on the run. And me, I’m still doing what? I’m still laughing.
“Don’t allow me to come here next year to laugh at you. May God bless you. ADC.”