Arewa group counters northern Govs on rejection of tax reform bills

The Arewa Civil Rights Movement, ACRM has countered the position of the Northern Governors Forum on President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills.

Newspot reports that the new tax bill currently on the floor of the National Assembly proposed a derivation principle in the distribution of Value Added Tax, VAT accruals between the federal government and subnationals.

The Northern Governors Forum chaired by the Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, had in a communique issued at the end of its recent meeting, rejected the tax bill currently in the National Assembly for deliberation.

But the National President of the Arewa group, Dr Agabi Emmanuel, who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, said rejecting the bill would set Nigeria backwards.

Agabi called on the northern lawmakers to disregard the position of the governors, emphasizing their responsibility to constituents.

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The group also urged the northern governors to focus on their duties and account for excess earnings from the Federation Account since they assumed their various offices.

“Should the northern lawmakers reject the Bills based on the interference from the governors they would have confirmed to those who voted them into office that they are incapable of serving.

“Such disrespect for the wishes of their constituents will definitely result in a wave of recall as the people will not accept rubberstamp lawmakers.

“We urge the Northern Governors to get back to work while also preparing to account for what they did with the excess earnings that came into their states’ coffers from the Federation Account since they assumed office on May 29, 2023”, Agabi added.