Governors seek clarifications, not against Tax Reform Bills — Nasarawa gov

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has clarified that the governors of the 36 states are not opposed to the Tax Reform Bills, as has been perceived, but are instead seeking clarifications on certain aspects.

Speaking during Channels Television’s Town Hall on the Tax Reform Bills on Monday, Governor Sule acknowledged the importance of the bills but noted areas that required further explanation.

He noted, “The issue of increasing the VAT from 20 per cent to 60 per cent at the point of generation, and I am happy that Taiwo said it has now changed not just at the point of generation but also consumption, that is fine.

“Those were some of the issues mentioned by the governors. The governors said, “you know what, why don’t you withdraw the bills, let us discuss it, let us understand it.”
He also remarked that the Town Hall meeting, organised by Channels Television, was the kind of event that should have taken place before the bills were presented to the National Assembly.

According to him, if such steps had been taken by Taiwo Oyedele’s Tax Reform Committee, the need to withdraw the bills might not have arisen.

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In response, Oyedele expressed his gratitude to Governor Sule and the Governors’ Forum for their feedback, which he said he took seriously.

He explained that holding several meetings with governors would have delayed the bills. Oyedele added that the committee had tried to engage Nigerians on the bills but struggled with public interest.

However, he noted that the committee was now willing to repeat some processes and provide further explanations, as interest in the bills has increased.

The proposed Tax Reform Bills have sparked significant controversy, particularly in the northern part of the country. Following the backlash, the National Economic Council advised President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the bills for further consultations, but he declined, opting for the bills to go through the legislative process. Last week, the Senate passed the bills for a second reading by voice vote.

The proposed legislation aims to harmonise, coordinate, and resolve disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria.