Northern Elders Reject Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bill, Align with Governors and Monarchs
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The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has expressed its full support for the position taken by the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers concerning the proposed Tax Reform Bill put forward by President Bola Tinubu.
The 19 governors of the northern states have voiced their strong opposition to the Tax Reform Bill recently presented to the National Assembly for approval. A major point of contention is the suggested transition to a Derivation-based Model for the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT), which the governors argue would disadvantage northern states and other less industrialized regions.
During a meeting in Kaduna in October, the Northern States Governors’ Forum issued a communique condemning the proposal. This opposition was further solidified at the NEF’s Second Bi-Annual Meeting, held on November 20, 2024, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center in Abuja.
A statement released by the NEF reiterated the forum’s firm rejection of the bill in its current form, describing it as a poorly designed policy with potential to harm national unity and cohesion. The forum emphasized that the bill was introduced in bad faith, criticizing its lack of transparency and consultation with key stakeholders, including members of the National Economic Council.
The NEF also raised concerns over the silence of elected lawmakers from the northern region on the matter, warning that such complacency in the face of policies detrimental to the region’s interests would no longer be tolerated.
A communique signed by Professor Ango Abdullahi, the forum’s convener, stated: “The meeting unequivocally endorsed the position taken by the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers, and reiterated our strong opposition to this harmful policy. We also condemned the underhanded manner in which the bill was introduced, without proper consultation, raising suspicions about the true motives behind it.”
