Your tax reforms anti-North, Bala Mohammed tells Tinubu

Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills, saying the policies are anti-North and the region will fight it.

The governor threatened that the region would show its true colours to the president and presidency if they insist on going ahead with the policies despite the outcries.

Speaking when he received a delegation of the Christian community at Government House for the annual Christmas homage, the governor said the tax reforms bills before the National Assembly were aimed at favouring a section of the country at the detriment of northern Nigeria.

“We will show our true colour; we will fight for it. No policy should be imposed on the people because Nigeria does not operate an oligarchy system of government or a military rule.

• Ajaokuta suffering from bad political decisions – Dayo Kunle
• President Tinubu, please be closer to Nigerians

“It is not a good policy for northern Nigeria because we are not going to get money to pay workers’ salaries, to do roads. The presidency and federal government must listen to our plights; otherwise, they are calling for anarchy. And that is not good,” he said.

Governor Bala lamented that Nigerians were facing difficulties, noting that, “There is a lot of wahala; there is a lot of hunger in the country and we have to say it but certainly, we are not insulting anybody.

“We will continue to be loyal for the time being; if the situation persists, they will see our real colour; we are going to fight for it. We are not afraid of them, even if it’s the President, we are not afraid, except that we only show respect. 

“Whether it is a traditional institution, the federal government or it is the president, honestly, we are not afraid of them but we can only show our obedience and respect to leadership. But we will not allow anyone to denigrate us.

“They need to look at their leadership style. Leadership is listening to the people and being sensitive to their feelings; leadership is doing what the people want. But I appeal to you (Nigerians) that since we’ve endured to this point, we should continue to be more patient because living in peace is what we need.”

The governor appealed to the presidency and the federal government to revisit the tax reform bills, as according to him, a people-oriented government always listens to its people.

He urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the president and his government for God to make them change their minds and policies in a way that will be beneficial to all Nigerians.