Influential northern group sends message to Tinubu after president rejected NEC's decision on tax reform bills

• President Tinubu's rejection of the NEC's recommendation to withdraw the tax reform bills has been praised by the Progressive Northern Youth Forum (PNYF)
• The PNYF said the Northern Governors' Forum, which rejected the bills, doesn't represent the views of the people in the region
• According to the PNYF, the tax reform bills aim to streamline Nigeria's tax administration processes, and the North fully supports them

Abuja, FCT - The Progressive Northern Youth Forum (PNYF) has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for rejecting the National Economic Council's (NEC) recommendation to withdraw the tax reform bills.

Legit.ng reports that during the 144th meeting of the NEC, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the council suggested that the bills be withdrawn following a meeting of governors from the 19 northern states in Kaduna, where they, along with prominent traditional leaders from the region, collectively decided to oppose the Nigeria Tax Reform Bill.

President Tinubu gets the backing of the Progressive Northern Youth Forum (PNYF) for rejecting the NEC's recommendation to withdraw the tax reform bills. Photo credit: @aonanuga1956
Source: Twitter

Reacting, President Tinubu rejected the request to withdraw the bill and urged the NEC to allow the process to run its full course.

Why we backed Tinubu's decision - PNYF

The PNYF, in a statement signed by its secretary-general, Abdulkadir Bala, expressed its support for President Tinubu's decision.

Bala said the Northern Governors’ Forum's position on the tax reform bills does not accurately represent the views of the region's people.

"The Progressive Northern Youth Forum (PNYF) commends President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for rejecting the National Economic Council's (NEC) recommendation to withdraw the tax reform bills," the statement said. "We also want to clarify that the North does not support the position of the Northern Governors' Forum regarding the tax reform bills. The Forum’s call for the withdrawal of these bills does not represent the views of the people in the region."

The group said the governors have consistently demonstrated a lack of initiative to lead the North and instead rely on federal allocations, squandering the people's resources.

"If the governors genuinely cared for their constituents, they would have taken advantage of the opportunity to provide input and propose changes during the legislative process, rather than calling for the withdrawal of the bills from the National Assembly," the statement added.

Northern governors are afraid of taking responsibility

The PNYF said the northern governors rejected the tax reform bills because they want to continue being financially sustained by the federal government without making any efforts to develop their own revenue-generating initiatives.

"The governors should stop opposing people-oriented bills brought forth by the federal government and focus on fulfilling their responsibilities to the public. Otherwise, the people may feel compelled to demand their impeachment or resignation," the statement read further.

The group stressed that the North fully supports the tax reform bills "as they aim to streamline Nigeria’s tax administration processes."

Expert asks northern govs to embrace Tinubu’s tax bill

Meanwhile, tax expert Arabinrin Aderonke has appealed to the 19 northern governors to accept the proposed Tax Reform Bill, highlighting potential benefits for local communities.

Aderonke made this appeal in an open letter issued on Tuesday, October 29.

“This model is an opportunity for sustained growth that benefits both communities and the local economy in a meaningful way,” Aderonke stated.

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Source: Legit.ng