Victor Ezeja
Northern leaders have again expressed their dissatisfaction with the ongoing tax reforms in Nigeria and accused President Bola Tinubu of imposing it on the people.
They said the president’s actions and utterances regarding the tax reforms are against the principles of democracy.The leaders expressed disappointment over Tinubu’s statement that there will be no reversal of the controversial tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe elders, who included representatives from the Northern Elders’ Forum, the League of Northern Democrats, and the National Assembly, kicked against the President’s tough stance on the tax reforms, calling it unilateral and lacking in inclusive consultations.
Prime Business Africa had reported that President Tinubu during his first media chat on Monday in Lagos, stated that even though the bills might not be supported by everyone, there was no going back on the tax reforms.
He went on to say that the country’s tax system needed to get rid of colonial-based presumptions, which is why the tax reform laws were necessary.
The Northern Elders’ Forum averred that Tinubu’s declaration that the “tax reform bills are here to stay” undermined the principle of democracy.
On its part, the League of Northern Democrats raised concerns about what it termed as the President rigid stance on issues affecting the general welfare of citizens.
Reacting to Tinubu’s comment, Senator Mohammed Onawo, a lawmaker from the Nasarawa South Senatorial District, stressed the importance of following due legislative process on the tax reform bills. He stated that the President must allow members of the National Assembly to carry out their responsibilities without undue intervention from other branches of the government.
READ ALSO: No Going Back On Tax reforms – Tinubu
He said that as a former lawmaker, the president should respect the established legislative process.
He added that whether good or bad, “the President should let the bills go through the normal legislative process and get the approval of the legislators. If they get approval, they will become law, but if they don’t, they die.”
“I don’t subscribe to a situation where a president introduces a bill to the National Assembly and doesn’t give the lawmakers a chance to go through it and says it’s here to stay. For a legislature as reputable as this one, I think that’s wrong,” Onawo stated.
He bemoaned people including fellow lawmakers and other politicians who comment on the bills without knowledge of the full content.
Senator Ibrahim Gobir, who represented Sokoto East in the 9th Assembly, accused Tinubu of playing “politics of tribalism” with the tax reform bills.
Gobir said the President cannot unilaterally implement the bills without legislative approval.
The former lawmaker criticised the proposed allocation of value-added tax revenue. He said: “If the parliament agrees with the bills, that’s fine, but if they do not agree, what can he do? Will he do it without the legislature?
“The bills are not only about the North; they are about Nigeria. You cannot be the president of only the Yoruba; he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. All Nigerians, not just Yoruba people, voted for him.”
Ongoing Tax Reforms Will Cripple the North – Bauchi Governor
Also, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, asserted that the tax reform bills have provisions that will cripple Northern Nigeria.
Speaking when he received the Christian Community in Bauchi State, who visited him at the Government House for the annual Christmas homage, Governor Mohammed claimed that the tax reform bills were targeted at favouring a section of the country.
Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, cautioned against imposing any policy on Nigerians under a democratic system.
He called on President Tinubu to listen to the people and consider their outcries about the tax reform.
He said that if the government fails to listen to the cries of the people about the reform, it is calling for anarchy.
“We are calling on the Presidency and the Federal Government to change their style. Whenever a policy is not popular, they should listen to the people, they should not be arrogant and think that whatever we bring, must be. This is not an Oligarchy, this is not a Military rule, they must listen to the people and that is what makes a good leader,” the Bauchi governor stated.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
