The Presidency has accused former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi of misleading Nigerians with false claims about a new tax law that allegedly allows automatic deductions from bank accounts. In a statement, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said Amaechi’s comments about “Tax Act No 25” and post 2027 enforcement were untrue and designed to create fear.
Amaechi had claimed in a viral video that if the ruling All Progressives Congress remains in power after the 2027 elections, a tax policy would activate automatic debits on bank transfers and balances. He questioned why the law was not already in force, suggesting it was being delayed to avoid public backlash before the next polls.
Onanuga dismissed these statements as “egregious lies”, insisting there is no provision in Nigeria’s new tax framework that authorises such automatic debits from citizens’ bank accounts. He alleged that Amaechi, now a member of the African Democratic Congress, was using falsehoods as part of an early campaign strategy for the 2027 elections.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, had also assured Nigerians that the new tax laws taking effect from January 1, 2026, do not permit direct withdrawals from personal bank accounts. He explained that the system is based on self declaration of income, not on monitoring or taxing every bank transfer automatically.
The Federal Government has repeatedly said the reforms are aimed at simplifying taxes, harmonising existing rules and improving compliance, rather than increasing the burden on ordinary citizens. Officials are urging the public to rely on official explanations and ignore unverified claims circulating on social media about automatic debits and blanket 25 percent charges on accounts.
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