Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has blamed the Northern leaders for the current state of backwardness in the state, urging Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills.
During a town hall meeting for Christian leaders in northern Nigeria, Dogara emphasized the need to unite in supporting the tax reform bills, which he said were designed to bring transformation to the North and Nigeria as a whole.
Dogara said, “We are all northerners, and it should be made clear that President Tinubu or the South is not our problem. They have not come to cheat the North. That is out of the question. Some are claiming that Yoruba people are getting appointments, but let’s reflect. We ruled this country for over 40 years when northerners were in power. What did we achieve? The North remains the same, impoverished by our own leaders.”
Dogara criticized northern leaders, saying, “We are the architects of our own misfortune. We must hold our leaders accountable, not blame Tinubu or the South.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) called for the suspension of the tax bill to allow for broader consultation and meaningful engagement with Nigerian workers. The congress described the exclusion of organized labor from the formulation of the bill as unacceptable, arguing that it undermines the principles of tax justice.
After its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Owerri, Imo State, NLC President Joe Ajaero and General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja stated that the politicization of the bill and the alienation of key stakeholders could render it ineffective in reviving the economy.
A group of leaders from the Northern region, under the League of Northern Democrats (LND), also called on the Federal Government to address critical issues surrounding the proposed tax reform to prevent adverse economic and political consequences.
The group which was led by former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau, warned of potential challenges if equity and burden distribution concerns were not resolved. Shekarau highlighted questions about the fairness of the proposed measures, particularly their impact on small businesses and lower-income groups.
The LND proposed constitutional compliance in aligning tax administration and bills with Nigeria’s constitutional provisions, particularly on inheritance taxation, to respect religious and cultural practices. The group further suggested that VAT distribution should be based on the derivation principle to ensure equity and promote regional development.
