Oluwatosin Enesi
The bill, which has passed the second reading at the Senate, is facing vehement pushback from different quarters, especially from elites in Northern Nigeria.
Notable northern groups and figures like The Northern Governors Forum, the Northern Elders Forum, the National Economic Council, and Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, among others, have publicly voiced their opposition to the bill and demanded its withdraw.
According to them, the provisions of the bill do not reflect the region’s interests and would only worsen the poverty, underdevelopment and other socio-economic challenges the region is already grappling with.
Last week, Zulum, said the tax reform bills would set the North on the part of backwardness and would hamper Nigeria’s development.
Speaking further on the contentious bill, Zulum in an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, acknowledged the enormous power the president wields.
He stated that the president would have his way if he wanted the passage of the bill to materialise.
He said: “We know the power of the president. I’m a system man; I respect him.
“If the president wants to use his power to pass the tax bill, he may have his way, but it has its consequences for the people.”
However, the Governor added that at this point, not up to three governors across the 36 states of the federation are in support of the bill.
“As of now, you cannot get 3 governors in Nigeria that are in support of this Tax law,” he stated.
It will be recalled that Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, recently came under fire by Northern youths when he said in an interview with BBC Hausa that the Senate allowed the bill to pass for second reading because the lawmakers wanted to give room for broader conversation from experts and Nigerians.
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