Borno state governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has warned that there would be consequences for Nigerians if President Bola Tinubu decides to go ahead to get the Tax Reform Bills passed into law at all cost.
Zulum, who said neither himself nor any Northern governor was against President Bola Tinubu over the Executive Bills, however, noted that they were only craving for dialogue and adequate consultation about the proposed legislations in order not to be short-changed.
“This is a democratic setting, we need more time. People have told the President that governors are against him, we didn’t say anything like that. We know the powers of the President, I am a system man, I respect him, if the President want to use his powers to pass the Bills, he may have his way but it has consequences for the people,” Zulum stated.
The governor expressed reservations about some of the provisions of the Bills, which include the status and nomenclature of the current Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) upon passage of the Bills into law, to assume the power of being the only tax collection agency in Nigeria, questioning whether the agency has the structures in place to execute such mandate.
“Another provision of the Tax Bill is that by 2029 TETFund will be scrapped because companies will cease to support TETFund according to the law…NASENI will be scrapped in 2029…NITDA will be scrapped…These are some of our concerns,” the Borno State governor explained.
Zulum also explained that if the Bills scaled through and become laws, 34 States of the Federation would be shortchanged as only Lagos and Rivers States would be the main beneficiaries.
