The Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Peter Ahemba, has said the North is opposed to the controversial tax reform bills because they are perceived to disproportionately favour southern states.
Speaking in Lafia on Thursday with Punch, Ahemba noted that the agenda to stop the bills is a “collective responsibility for all political players from northern Nigeria.”
Ahemba explained that the North observed the proposed tax reforms would predominantly benefit southern states, leaving northern states at a disadvantage.
He said, “You can see the senators and House of Representatives members from the north speaking with one voice. It is the north speaking in one voice on the matter.
“Also, the stand of the Northern Governors Forum is clear on the matter. They are urging the President to step down the tax reform bills and allow for further consultations.
“They want him to consult widely so that people will see reasons with the bills. For now, the perception is that the bills will only favour some states like Lagos while the north will be shortchanged, and in that regard, the President needs to convince the north about the bills.”
Also, the Director General, Media to Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, Maiwada Danmallam, said it was too early for any governor to preempt the bills before the public debate.
“We should wait and see what the new bills will look like before we preempt what will happen. It is too early to say what any governor will do when the debates resume.
“The bills were rejected because of some controversial clauses. So, if the bills are withdrawn by the presidency to address the contentious clauses, we can only wait to see how far the presidency will go in addressing the concerns before saying what governors will or will not do,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Prof. John Ngamsa, the Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy to Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, told Punch that his principal had not taken a final position on the bills.
Ngamsa said the governor would soon make his position known to the world.
“The governor cannot be against government generating money for development, but he is looking at areas that may have a negative impact on his people and advise the National Assembly to make amends,” he said