Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has stated that Northern governors cannot turn against President Bola Tinubu, whom they helped elect. This comment comes in light of the Northern governors’ rejection of a recent tax reform bill proposed by Tinubu’s administration.
On Monday, the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa, announced their position in a communiqué. They urged the National Assembly to oppose any bill that could harm the well-being of their constituents.
The tax reform bill, sent to the Senate and House of Representatives on October 3, 2024, includes proposals to rename the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and to provide Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions for certain sectors, including oil and gas exports.
In an interview on Channels Television, Governor Sule addressed the situation surrounding the VAT aspect of the bill. He emphasized, “We cannot bring President Tinubu as a president, the North came in heavily to make sure Tinubu became the president, and then turn around and be against him.”
He clarified that the Northern governors are not opposing the entire bill but are concerned about the distribution of VAT revenues. “What we said clearly is that we want fairness in the distribution of the VAT. If we go the way it is, we are going to say it will be unfair to some other states in the South,” he noted.
Sule’s comments reflect the ongoing debate regarding the tax reform bill and its potential impact on the Northern states.
