Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Sunday, said the implementation of the proposed tax reform bills would disproportionately benefit Lagos State, leaving other states, including the North, disadvantaged.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Zulum clarified that his reservations about the bills should not be misconstrued as opposition to President Bola Tinubu's administration.
He emphasised his unwavering support for the president, noting his role in advocating for power to shift to the South and highlighting that 60.2% of Tinubu's votes came from the North.
Zulum explained that the governors had advised the federal government during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting to pause and allow for deeper stakeholder consultations before proceeding with the bills.
"There are misconceptions about this tax issue. In a democratic setting, consultation is vital. We are simply asking for the right to be consulted, not opposing the administration," he said.
The governor also expressed concerns about the bills' potential economic implications for states outside Lagos.
According to Zulum, analyses suggest that while Lagos might benefit, others, including the Southeast, South-South, and even parts of the Southwest, would suffer adverse effects.
"Based on calculations, only Lagos will benefit. Why the rush? Let's pause and analyze these bills thoroughly. This is our contention, not an attack on the president," he explained.
Zulum further noted that Lagos officials themselves have reservations about the reforms, having indicated potential revenue losses.
The governor reiterated the need for comprehensive discussions to address the bills' broader implications and ensure equitable benefits for all states.
Borno gov propagating what is not true - Presidency
Tope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, has said what the Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum said about the tax reform bills was not true.
In a post on his Facebook page, Ajayi said: "A professor and governor of a state should not be on a national television to propagate what is not true.
"There is no part of the Tax Reform Bills that recommends scrapping of TETFUND, NASENI and NITDA by the year 2029 as claimed by Governor Zulum in his Channels TV interview.
"In any public debate around these four bills before the National Assembly, there should be no place for misinformation and deliberate falsehood."
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Atiku calls for justice, wants resolutions of NEC made public
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity in the ongoing controversy over the tax reform bills.
Reacting to the vexed issue of the tax bill in a post on his official X handle, Atiku, who asked the National Assembly to make public the resolutions of the National Economic Council (NEC) on the bill, noted that Nigerians have spoken against a fiscal system that seeks to promote "Uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states while unduly penalising others."
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election said, "I have followed the intense public discourse on the Tax Reform Bills with keen interest.
"Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity. They are loud and clear that the fiscal system we seek to promote must not exacerbate the uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states while unduly penalising others.
"I call for objectivity and transparency in the conduct of the public hearing being organised by our representatives in the National Assembly.
"The public hearing process must facilitate open and inclusive participation by all stakeholders, including civil society organisations, traditional institutions, politicians, public officials, and subject matter experts."
