The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu over what he described as the growing tax burden on Nigerians, warning that mass defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will not automatically guarantee the President’s re-election if economic hardship persists.
Speaking during a sermon at the Adoration Ground in Enugu on Sunday, the outspoken Catholic priest said worsening living conditions and aggressive taxation could erode public support for the current administration.
“Mr. President, people may not be courageous enough to tell you this, but I am telling you that even if everybody is in APC, that does not guarantee your continuity,” Mbaka said. “What guarantees your continuity is the Lord. And as they say, the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
While acknowledging that taxation is a legitimate tool of governance, Mbaka argued that the timing and intensity of current tax policies amount to injustice against citizens already struggling to survive.
“There is nothing wrong with people paying taxes, but at a time like this, this kind of tax imposition is like wickedness meted out to the people. It is like a tyrannical imposition,” he said.
He questioned what benefits Nigerians are receiving in return for the taxes demanded, pointing to high unemployment, low purchasing power and limited access to basic services.
“What has the government provided for them? How many of them have been given jobs?” Mbaka asked. “The little they earn through hard labour is what they are being asked to pay tax from.”
The cleric lamented the deteriorating living conditions of ordinary Nigerians, noting that quality healthcare and education remain largely inaccessible to the poor.
“Things are too hard. Things are unbearable. The poor masses are dying. We cannot boast of quality hospitals or quality education for the poor masses,” he said. “Eating three meals a day has become a big problem. From where are these people expected to pay taxes?”
Mbaka also linked rising insecurity to unemployment and poverty, warning that continued hardship could fuel social unrest.
“Millions of our youths have no jobs. That is why kidnapping, banditry and other atrocities are increasing,” he said, adding that “a hungry man is an angry man.”
Calling for urgent policy reviews, he urged the federal government to focus on cushioning the effects of economic reforms on the poor, whom he described as the majority of Nigerians.
“The government should be planning how to cushion the effects of these problems on the lives of the poor masses. They are not happy,” he said.
Mbaka further appealed for compassionate leadership, reminding those in power that authority is temporary.
“I pray that our leaders develop human hearts—be compassionate, sympathetic and empathetic,” he said. “No leader will be there forever. Listen to the cries of the people.”
He insisted that his remarks were not politically motivated but driven by concern for Nigerians across religious and social divides.
“I am not a senator, not a governor. I am just a prophet of God expressing the pain of my people—Christians and Muslims alike,” Mbaka said. “When the people cry, God feels their pain.”
He concluded by urging leaders to pursue governance rooted in empathy rather than coercion, warning that harsh policies could have consequences beyond politics.
“This draconian approach is punishable from heaven,” Mbaka said, adding that “there are many other ways government can raise money.”
