Northern Youth Assembly, a body representing the youth of the 19 northern states, has criticised the National Assembly member Abdulmumin Jibrin, accusing him of betraying the interests of Northern Nigeria by backing a proposed tax reform from President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, Mohammed Hussaini Bauchi, national assistant publicity secretary of the assembly, condemned Jibrin’s support of the reform, saying it would harm Northern communities and marginalise local interests.
“Your shameful act of publicly supporting the proposed tax reform bill… is the highest order of disrespect to your constituents, Kano State people, and the entire Northern Nigeria,” Bauchi said.
Bauchi argued that Jibrin’s support for the legislation ignored the region’s ongoing struggles, including poor infrastructure, high unemployment, insecurity, and inadequate electricity supply.
“The purpose of your election was to fundamentally champion the course to address these issues through effective legislation and advocacy,” the statement reads.
According to the Assembly, the proposed reforms would disproportionately impact Northern Nigeria’s economy, exacerbating poverty and threatening local businesses.
Bauchi further alleged that Jibrin’s stance undermines the mandate of a true representative.
“Northern Nigeria requires only leaders who could speak in the interest of the region, not hired lobbyists who would do everything to misguide and deceive their people for some cheap political gains,” he said.
The Northern Youth Assembly warned that it would continue to oppose the bill, vowing to expose what it called “political merchants, betrayers, and political hypocrites” who undermine the interests of Northern Nigeria.
