“The government is attacking possibility if they have opportunity The oil sector also re- candidate, Peter Obi, has It described the sustained growth as a corded significant changes. per- frustra- everybody. I am being attacked I will not be alive. I get - reflection of renewed investor confi alleged that his life may be under According to the report, crude oil tions every day because you do sonally, even to provide me with things dence in Nigeria’s economic reforms. threat, claiming that the government and condensate production increased On revenue mobilisation, the report things that you may think may be I am entitled to, not at all,” he said. said tax collections recorded signifi - normal, it is not normal,” he said. The former governor, however, in May 2023 to 1.9 million barrels per ities and targeting him personally. cant growth during the review period. day by May 2026, representing 102 “They won’t come directly and say, did not provide specific details It stated that total collections in- Obi made the allegation during per cent of Nigeria’s OPEC quota. ‘Oh, we are doing this,’ but you could see or evidence of the alleged threats creased from ₦12.3 trillion in 2023 to Jideon- an interview with Chude The report linked the increase to ₦21 trillion in 2024 and ₦28.3 trillion in their hand eventually in everything.” or identify the actions he said wo, where he said the pressure intensified security operations against 2025, while collections for the first half - Obi further alleged that the govern were being taken against him. pipeline vandalism and crude theft, against him had become intense and - of 2026 stood at ₦21.6 trillion, represent as well as continued implementation ing a 49 per cent year-on-year increase. could eventually endanger his life. of the Petroleum Industry Act, which and Jared Kushner as members of the According to the report, the non-oil “The way they are going now, ‘They Are Liars, it said improved investor confidence negotiating team but questioned the value share of revenue collections now ac- Continued from pg.1 I might not be alive,” Obi said. in the upstream petroleum sector. of continuing the diplomatic process. counts for 76 per cent of total collections, The report also highlight- gov- The former Anambra State “I’ll speak to our negotiators, they while Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio im- ing them as “scum,” “sick peo- ed major changes in Nigeria’s want to negotiate, they’re good peo- ernor alleged that the govern- proved from 10.3 per cent to 13 per cent. ple” and “vicious, violent people.” downstream petroleum industry. ple. Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, but The NRS attributed the gains to ment was deliberately frustrating “I don’t want to deal with them an- Domestic refining capacity, it they have to come back to me. As far the rollout of the national e-invoicing everything he does to earn a living. ymore, they’re scum. You know what said, expanded from 30,000 barrels as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of system for large taxpayers, the imple- scum is? They’re scum. They’re sick per day in 2023 to about 700,000 “I’m telling you, every single thing time dealing with them. They’re liars.” mentation of four major tax reform people. They’re led by sick people. barrels per day by mid-2026. The president accused Iran of re- I do for a living, this government is laws that took effect on January 1, And they’re vicious, violent people.” It added that about 90 per cent neging on understandings reached 2026, and the transformation of the frustrating it deliberately,” he said. Trump also reiterated his long-held of Nigeria’s petrol demand is now during negotiations, claiming Tehran Federal Inland Revenue Service into ac- According to Obi, the alleged concern over Iran’s nuclear ambi- supplied through local refining, die - publicly denied issues that had already the Nigeria Revenue Service, which tions, insisting the country would use tions against him are often indirect, sel imports have dropped to zero, been agreed behind closed doors. reve- consolidated tax and non-tax a nuclear weapon if it acquired one. and Nigeria recorded its first-ever but he claimed the government’s “We make a deal, everyone’s agreed, nue collection under one institution. “And if they had a nucle- no nuclear weapon. We make a deal. They ar weapon, they’d use it. As far go outside, talk to the press, they say, ‘we His position drew strong opposition from and agencies captured in the 2025 and 2026 Reps In Uproar as I’m concerned it’s over.” never even talked about it’. There’s some- several lawmakers, triggering shouting matches Appropriation Frameworks. Although he acknowledged that US Continued from pg.1 thing wrong with them. They’re cuckoo. and heated exchanges across the chamber as The House also directed the Office of the negotiators remained willing to engage As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.” members repeatedly interrupted one another. Accountant-General of the Federation to ensure issue was resolved. Iran, Trump said any future discus- Asked whether talks between Wash- The atmosphere became increasingly tense, that no public funds are released to the PFIPC The proposals immediately sparked a heated sions would be meaningless unless ington and Tehran could resume, forcing the presiding officer to intervene several pending the outcome of the investigation and debate, sharply dividing lawmakers. they produced genuine commitments. Trump said he was unconcerned. times in an effort to restore order. mandated the Budget Office to submit, with During the session, Benedict Etanabene, He identified envoy Steve Witkoff As the disorder persisted, Speaker Tajudeen future appropriation bills, a certified list of all representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Con- Abbas stepped in and directed that the House agencies proposed for funding together with stituency of Delta State, also raised a point of had already directed the ICPC to conduct vote on the matter to determine its position. their enabling laws. privilege over a June 29 circular issued by the Senate Defers a comprehensive investigation into the However, Abbas ruled the proposal to invite Supporting the motion, Deputy Speaker Accountant-General of the Federation, Sham - Continued from pg.1 controversy. President Tinubu out of order, explaining that it Benjamin Kalu disclosed that he had previously seldeen Ogunjimi. Barau said the Presidency had activated did not form part of the original motion moved met representatives of the organisation after Etanabene argued that the circular had generat- ₦802.98 million for personnel costs, ₦200 the appropriate investigative process and by Ikwechegh. receiving an official-looking letter bearing the ed widespread public concern and required urgent million for overhead and ₦300 million for urged the Senate to await the commission’s Although calm was eventually restored after Presidency’s insignia, a Federal Secretariat legislative scrutiny. He maintained that, given capital expenditure. findings before taking legislative action. repeated appeals for order, the chamber remained address and a “.gov.ng” website. the significance of the issues arising from the The lawmaker warned that unless the “The Presidency has taken up this tense as lawmakers resumed deliberations. Kalu said the delegation later appeared more directive, President Tinubu should be invited to circumstances surrounding the allocation matter by directing that the ICPC should Meanwhile, the House resolved to investigate interested in taking photographs than discussing appear before the House to provide explanations. were thoroughly investigated, public con- investigate fully how this matter came to the inclusion of more than ₦1.3 billion for the the policy issues contained in their correspond - While some lawmakers backed the proposal, fidence in the country’s budget process and be. The marching order has been given Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion ence, adding that the incident demonstrated that insisting that the National Assembly has the the oversight role of the National Assembly and I think the ICPC has started. Council (PFIPC), a body declared non-existent “having the Presidency on a letterhead is no constitutional responsibility to exercise over- would continue to erode. “To me, I believe that what we need to by the Presidency, in the 2026 Appropriation longer sufficient proof that an agency is genuine.” sight on matters affecting public finance and He also urged the Senate to condemn do at this stage is to have the report of the Framework. The PFIPC controversy centres on Adeniyi governance, others strongly opposed it, arguing what he described as administrative ICPC, and then we can act on that report The resolution followed a motion of urgent Adeyemi, who presented himself as Direc- that summoning the President was unnecessary lapses, possible internal collaboration or and deal with it as we feel appropriate,” public importance sponsored by Yusuf Gagdi, tor-General of both the PFIPC and the Presi- and inconsistent with constitutional practice. fraudulent acts that allowed a purportedly he said. who described the development as a serious threat dential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC). Leading the opposition, Yusuf Gagdi (APC– non-existent agency to be captured in the The Senate subsequently adopted the to the integrity of Nigeria’s budget process and However, the Presidency, through Chief of Staff Plateau State) argued that there was no basis for national budget. proposal to await the ICPC’s report before public financial management. Femi Gbajabiamila, has disowned both bodies, inviting the President since the implementation Kawu proposed that the Senate Com- determining its next course of action. Lawmakers resolved to constitute an ad hoc insisting neither exists under the administration and funding of constituency projects fall within mittees on Ethics, Code of Conduct and On Tuesday, President Tinubu directed committee to trace how the allocation entered of President Tinubu. the responsibilities of the relevant ministries, Public Petitions, as well as Appropriations, the anti-graft agency to conduct a com- the budget, invite the Minister of Budget and The Senate had earlier maintained that the departments and agencies. be mandated to investigate the matter. prehensive investigation into the activities Economic Planning and the Director-General of ₦1.3 billion allocation for the PFIPC was Gagdi also rejected the proposal to suspend However, Deputy President of the Sen - of the PFIPC and all matters connected to the Budget Office of the Federation to explain the “neither recommended nor inserted” by the plenary for one week, describing the suggestion ate, Senator Barau Jibrin, advised against the controversy, with a mandate to submit verification process for new agencies, and verify National Assembly. as unnecessary. launching an immediate parliamentary its report within 30 days. the legal status of all ministries, departments probe, noting that President Bola Tinubu