Northern Governors have expressed strong opposition to the recent tax reform bill introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, urging the National Assembly to reject it.
According to a communiqué released by the Northern Governors’ Forum, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa, the governors particularly disapprove of the proposed shift to a derivative-based value-added tax (VAT) model. They argue that under this model, VAT would be collected based on a company’s headquarters location rather than where goods and services are consumed, which they claim would disadvantage the northern states.
While the governors support national policies that promote growth and development, they call for fairness to prevent any region from being marginalized.
Emphasizing the need for equitable distribution of resources, the forum asserted that the tax reforms as proposed could harm the well-being of northern communities.
Additionally, the governors encouraged Nigerians to remain calm amid current economic challenges, reflecting their broader concerns about policies that might further strain the nation’s socioeconomic landscape.
