Zulum also noted that the Northern Governors are not against President Tinubu, but rather seeking time for consultation
By Kehinde Okeowo
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has said only Lagos State will benefit from the Tax Reform Bill proposed by President Bola Tinubu.
He made this known while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he revealed why Northern governors are urging the president to reconsider the contentious tax bill.
TheNiche had earlier reported that the Tax Reform Bill faced stiff resistance
from different quarters, especially from elites in Northern Nigeria.
The Northern Governors Forum, the Northern Elders Forum, the National Economic Council, and Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, among others, have openly called for the withdrawal of the bill because it does not reflect the region’s interests.
Speaking on the tax bill during the TV interview, Zulum who had earlier said the proposal if passed by federal legislators will cause backwardness in the North and Nigeria in general, further clarified his position.
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According to him, the Northern Governors Forum is not against President Tinubu’s administration but rather seeking time for consultation.
He emphasised that the northern governors are not against the president, considering the region contributed significantly to his 2023 electoral victory, with over 60 per cent of his votes coming from the north.
The governor, however, expressed concerns that if the bill passes through the National Assembly, states would be disadvantaged, as Lagos State would be the primary beneficiary of the policy.
“I’m not withdrawing my statement; to my own observations, if this tax bill is passed, the North, South East, South South, and South West will all be shortchanged. The only state that will benefit is Lagos.” Zulum said.
President Tinubu in October asked the National Assembly to pass the bill into law.
But despite its rejection by some Northern leaders, the Tax Reform Bill passed a second reading in the Senate on November 28.
