GOVERNOR Babagana Zulum of Borno State has said the Tax Reform bills will cause backwardness in the North and Nigeria in general.
Zulum said only Lagos State would benefit from the tax reform bill of President Bola Tinubu.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, the governor said they were informed that the proposed bill could put Lagos State at a disadvantage.
According to Zulum: “We rejected the tax reform bill; it will bring backwardness to the North, and not only to the North, but also to the South East, South-South, and South West. Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo will also have problems; it will only benefit Lagos.
“It is not opposition. This, based on our understanding, is something that will destroy the North in its entirety. Therefore, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others to review this decision. He secured 60% of his votes in the North. He should not listen to those telling him that Northerners are not supporting him.
“If our interest is served, that is all. What we need now is the withdrawal of the tax bills.
“Why all the rush? There’s a petroleum bill that was presented but it took almost 20 years before it was finally passed. But this one was transmitted and now receiving legislative attention within a week. What we are saying is that, let it be treated carefully and with caution so that even after our exit, our children would reap the benefits.
“How we see it is, if these bills scale through, we will not be able to even pay salaries. And if we pay, it won’t be sustainable the following year.”
The bills which seek to prioritise the location of consumption as the basis for sharing Value Added Tax, have faced stiff opposition, especially from the North, with stakeholders calling for its withdrawal.
Northern governors, traditional rulers, and the Northern Elders Forum have rejected the proposed bills, saying they were not in the interest of the nation. However, despite protests and rejections of the pieces of the legislation, the Senate passed the bills for a second reading on Thursday despite rowdiness at plenary.
Eighteen-Eleven Media