Kano Lawmaker Rejects Tinubu’s Tax Bills, Says They’re Anti-Masses

The member of the House of Representatives for Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi Federal constituency of Kano state, Hon. Ghali Mustapha Tijjani has rejected the four tax bills currently before the National Assembly.

The four tax reform bills, namely, President Bola Tinubu, transmitted the Nigeria Tax, Nigeria Tax Administration, Nigeria Revenue Service, and Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bills, 2024, to the apex legislature.

While the bills passed a second reading in the Senate, the House has postponed the debate on the proposed legislation slated for Tuesday, December 3, 2024, indefinitely.

Speaking to journalists on Monday night, the Kano lawmaker said he was rejecting the bills because they were not in tandem with public interest and not pro-masses.

He said: “This is (sic) a capitalist bill, and for such a reason, I, Dr Ghali Mustafa Tijani, am rejecting this bill as a member representing the people. I’m in Parliament to ensure my people are well-defined and that Nigerians have all the benefits and dividends of democracy.

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“Therefore, these tax reform bills are capitalistic and are siphoning the poor, so to speak. Nigeria is losing much money in revenue, tax evasion, and transfer pricing manipulation.

“The Nigerian government or the current government should think of blocking such leakages rather than taxing more people in the country or taxing companies willing to invest and employ more labour. Therefore, for such reasons, it’s anti-masses.

Tijjani opined that the crafters of the bills did not even understand the constructors of the economy of Nigeria, adding that the

Northern Governors Forum rejected the planned legislation, indicating that it was not in the interest of its people and states.

“Therefore, I align my position with them. Similarly, remember that the Nigerian Governors Forum and the Northern Governors Forum meet regularly and monthly to share Nigeria’s resources. Therefore, they know better than everybody if what we contribute to the tax or this tax reform is in tandem with the interest of Nigeria or their position.

“I support their position, the Nigerian Governors Forum, very well. Unfortunately, the executives or the Presidency did not like to listen to such a significant group, and they also went ahead and pushed it to the National Assembly. Yes, we understand the National Assembly has a vital role in these bills. Still, you must pay attention to the Nigerian Governors Forum and the state’s National Economic Council.

“The policies of this current government are too harsh, and they are against the interests of the masses; for them to bring this subject of debate, currently, for tax reform, they are wrong. They should be considering even giving tax holidays, whereby small and medium companies could at least have a space to generate capital and employ labour.

“People are now hungry. People need employment. Could you look at the government agencies? They are all retrenching workers. How do you think the battle, the tax reform system you are doing, will not be transferred to the final consumer? The four bills are the wrong time and time to bring them to me.

The Executives should understand that this bill generates severe concerns and issues. I can tell you that if this bill is implemented, our current problem will multiply. Therefore, for such reasons, these bills are not debatable. This should be wholly discarded or put aside,” he added.