Kano rep: Tinubu hell-bent on passing tax reform bills — we’ll do our best to block them

Ghali Mustapha, a member of the house of representatives, says the tax reform bills are not in the interest of the people.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday, Mustapha, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) representing the Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi federal constituency, said the bills will worsen the economic hardship in the country if passed into law.

The legislator said he and his colleagues would “do their best” to block the bills from scaling through.

“So, currently, the policies of this current government are too harsh, and they are against the interests of the masses,” Mustapha said.

“For them to bring this subject of debate of tax reform—I think they are wrong.

“We don’t know who is behind this tax bill. We know the executive is hell-bent on seeing that this tax bill is passed through. But we will do our best to stop this bill.

“And I can assure you that the majority of the members that I have spoken with are not interested in this bill because what is the most important now is how to put food on the table of the poor.

“How can you stop insecurity? How can you provide quality education? How can you provide employment? This is what we think.

“The executives should understand that this bill is generating serious concern, a serious issue. I can tell you that if this bill is being implemented, the current problem we have today will multiply.

“Therefore, for such reasons, this bill, I think, is not debatable. This should be completely discarded or put aside.

“And the executive should face the serious issues of stabilising the economy as well as providing jobs, educating people, and securing the nation.”

THE TAX BILLS

On October 3, President Bola Tinubu asked the national assembly to consider and pass four tax reform bills.

The bills—the Nigeria tax bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill—have been a subject of controversy.

On October 28, the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) opposed the bills, arguing that the proposed legislations would harm the region’s interests.

The governors asked the national assembly to reject the bills, demanding equitable and fair implementation of national policies and programmes across all regions.

The national economic council (NEC) also asked Tinubu to withdraw the bills to give room for consultations.

On November 1, Tinubu said the bills would not be withdrawn from the national assembly, noting that the proposed laws were designed to improve the lives of Nigerians and optimise existing tax frameworks.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano, said the bills are an attempt to “colonise the north”.

The bills passed the second reading at the senate last Thursday.