On Tuesday, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State sent a clear response to the Presidency stating that he remains committed to his remarks regarding President Bola Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms.
“It is impossible to intimidate me as a governor. My remarks remain unchanged. “
Mohammed stated on Channels Television’s 2024 Year-End Review programme, “It is not intended to defame, offend, or do anything else but have good intentions.”
Given the proposed tax measures, if implemented, would have “concomitant effects,” endanger the sub-nationals’ survival, and make them poorer, the head of the People’s Democratic Party Governors’ Forum cautioned that the presidency should listen to the people instead of being haughty.
“We think that as the head of the federation and all other federating units, they should pay attention to us and not be haughty and show some elements of impunity that they would go ahead no matter what,” Mohammed stated.
The governor criticised the “undemocratic” approach taken by the Presidency on the tax bills, claiming that even persons with military experience would have paid attention to the public and addressed the “areas of suspicion and mistrust” in the proposed legislation. Because certain states do not have corporate headquarters in Nigeria, he argued, they should not be permitted to die.
Mohammed had attacked Tinubu’s tax proposals in the National Assembly, saying they were biased in favour of one area over another.
He said the measures were “calls for anarchy” and that if passed, Tinubu would see “our real colour.”
After claiming that the governor’s remarks were “inflammatory rhetoric” and “direct threats towards the Nigerian government,” the president urged him to take them down.
Mohammed and his 18 Northern Nigerian colleagues unanimously rejected the president’s planned tax reforms, which have generated controversy ever since they were introduced in the parliament. However, Tinubu has maintained that the tax reforms are here to stay.
