28th December 2024
Some northern leaders comprising members of the National Assembly, the League of Northern Democrats and the Northern Elders’ Forum, have criticised President Tinubu’s firm position, on the proposed tax reform bill, describing it as unilateral and devoid of inclusive consultations.
The Northern leaders expressed displeasure over President Bola Tinubu’s insistence on pushing ahead with the controversial tax reform bill.
President Tinubu, had in his maiden media chat held on Monday in Lagos, maintained that there was no turning back on the bills even though he acknowledged that the bills might not be embraced by everyone.
Insisting that the tax reform bills were necessitated by the need to eliminate colonial-based assumptions in the nation’s tax environment.
Meanwhile the lawmaker representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District, Senator Mohammed Onawo, has said the President must allow National Assembly members to perform their duties without undue interference from the executive.
Onawo, emphasized the importance of following legislative procedures, noting that, as a former legislator, the President should respect the established process.
“If the President, who was once a legislator, is passing judgment on bills that are before the National Assembly, it is unfortunate.” Onawo stated.
“Be it good or bad, the President should let the bills go through the normal legislative process and get the approval of the legislators. If they get approval, they will become law, but if they don’t, they die.
“I don’t subscribe to a situation where a president introduces a bill to the National Assembly and doesn’t give the lawmakers a chance to go through it and says it’s here to stay. For a legislature as reputable as this one, I think that’s wrong.”
He added, “Most of the people, even the legislators commenting on the bills, have not gone through the full content to know whether they’re good or bad. It’s just the summary that is being passed around.
“There is no bill initiated by anyone that is totally bad. The right thing is for legislators to go through the bills, identify contentious areas, and amend those that do not represent the public’s opinion or will not benefit the general public.
“Even laws as old as 100 years can be amended; so, I don’t see any reason why anyone will claim it’s good or bad without reviewing the content.
“We will look at the bills, and if any part is contentious or doesn’t benefit the people we represent, we will bring our opinions together, and at the end of the day, those with popular opinion will ensure the bills pass.”
Also bearing his mind on the issue, the Senator who represented Sokoto East in the 9th Assembly, Ibrahim Gobir, accused Tinubu of playing “politics of tribalism” with the tax reform bills and he cannot unilaterally implement the bills without legislative approval.
He criticised the proposed allocation of value-added tax revenue, saying, “If the parliament agrees with the bills, that’s fine, but if they do not agree, what can he do? Will he do it without the legislature?
“The bills are not only about the North; they are about Nigeria. You cannot be the president of only the Yoruba; he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. All Nigerians, not just Yoruba people, voted for him. Why should he be a regional president when this bill will benefit only Lagos, Rivers, and Ogun states?
“Section 77 of the bill is the main issue. Consumers in Nigeria are not only Yoruba or Lagosians; they are all over the nation. When I drink Pepsi here in Abuja, I have to pay VAT to Lagos – why? If that is the case, then for any food item brought from the North, the VAT on it should be paid to the North.
On its part, the Northern Elders’ Forum said Tinubu’s declaration that the “tax reform bills are here to stay” undermined the principle of democracy.
The spokesman for the NEF, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, cautioned Tinubu against causing a crisis between the executive and legislative arms of government.
He said, “President Tinubu’s declaration raises concerns. The potential for bypassing the legislative process, inherent in his strong assertion, undermines the principles of democratic governance.
“By pre-emptively declaring the bills’ passage, the President risks alienating lawmakers and potentially creating unnecessary political friction.”
Commenting on Tinubu’s declaration, the League of Northern Democrats, through a former spokesman for the ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo and a pioneer member of the group, Umar Sani, cautioned President Tinubu, against rigidity on issues affecting the general welfare of citizens.
“We know that the country requires tax reform. One of the reasons for tax reform is to fight corruption.
“Corruption is very high because people don’t pay taxes. If people pay taxes, the rate of corruption will be lower because you know the larger part of the money you steal will go to the government.
“But there are areas we want the government to review, like the inheritance tax, which is against religion, and some other incidentals. There are areas we agree with the bills, and we have given suggestions on areas we don’t agree with. In summary, our position is not against the bills.
“The President has offended the sensibilities of many Nigerians, particularly those of our leaders, with his declaration, and it shows the level of independence of our National Assembly. The President should not be rigid in decision-making.”
