Why I changed my stance on tax reform bills – Gov sule

The Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, has said his initial opposition to the tax reform bills was to ensure that they were was thoroughly discussed before any decision was made.

Sule said this during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme where he provided explanation for his change of stance concerning the bills.

The Governor had been one of the northern leaders opposed to the bills currently before the Senate.

In his earlier position , Sule expressed displeasure with the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) from the FAAC, same grievance displayed by his fellow northern governors.

He said,“That is why we are calling for a review of that position. The moment you take VAT out of FAAC, you are taking 60 percent of that to go to derivation. Other people are introducing consumption.”

However, the chance to dialogue on the issue was not acknowledged by the Northern Governors’ Forum which cancelled four meetings with the tax reform team as revealed by the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele.

Explaining why he has now changed his stance on the bills, Sule said,“We have achieved our goal, and that is the reason today I talk differently. I talk differently because the goal we wanted to achieve has been achieved.

“We wanted the bill to be further discussed and not passed in its original form. Now, there are opportunities for further review, and I commend the House of Representatives, particularly the speaker, for the way they have handled the issue,” Sule stated.

Further speaking, the governor commended the lawmakers for the way they are handling the bills and also how they are addressing the concerns raised by him and other concerned citizens.