Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
The controversy over President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills has deepened, with former Speaker of the House Yakubu Dogara and Senator Ali Ndume clashing publicly. Dogara, in a Town Hall on Channels TV duly monitored by Truth Live News, rebuked Ndume for his vocal opposition, describing his stance as unconstructive and dismissing his arguments as rhetoric devoid of actionable solutions.
Dogara declared, “Intelligence is not about going to TV stations to be telling us the schools you went to and grades you had. Intelligence is about providing solutions; otherwise, you’re just a mere content creator.” He urged northern leaders to seize the opportunities presented by the reforms, particularly Tinubu’s establishment of a Ministry of Livestock, which he described as a game-changer for the region. He argued, “The creation of the Livestock Ministry by President Tinubu is the greatest service to the North by any president in our history. If we get it right, the North won’t need VAT from anyone.”
Dogara also dismissed allegations that the reforms were designed to introduce practices like AlphaBeta consulting, asserting, “If he wanted to do that, what stopped him from doing it now? This president is not a coward.” He encouraged northerners to focus on self-reliance: “We should remove the cap of regionalism, the cap of sectionalism, the cap of religion, and put on the cap of leadership because that is what will resolve the current problem we have.”
Senator Ndume, however, has stood firm in his opposition. In recent interviews, he described the bills as rushed and ill-timed, criticizing the lack of consultations with key stakeholders, including the National Economic Council (NEC) and northern governors. Ndume stated, “Withdraw the bill, do more consultations, and then bring the bill again. Why are they in a hurry? Our forefathers were paying tax. In the North, we pay taxes. But the timing is wrong.” He vowed to rally lawmakers against the reforms and emphasized that the concerns of governors and traditional rulers must be addressed before proceeding.
Tinubu’s administration defends the reforms, claiming they aim to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system by simplifying collection and boosting revenue while exempting small businesses from withholding taxes. While Dogara lauded the initiative’s potential to uplift the North, Ndume insists the reforms should be paused until the government’s consultations with regional stakeholders are thorough.
As the Senate prepares for the final reading of the tax bills, the debate has exposed divisions among Nigeria’s political leaders. Dogara’s call for unity and forward-looking policies contrasts sharply with Ndume’s demand for a more cautious, inclusive approach.