ABUJA (ChatnewsTV) — The Progressive Northern Youth Forum (PNYF) has lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for rejecting the National Economic Council’s (NEC) recommendation to withdraw Nigeria’s tax reform bills. The NEC, led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, had recently advocated for the withdrawal following discussions with governors from the 19 northern states and key traditional leaders, citing concerns about the reform’s potential regional impact.
In a statement issued by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu emphasized his commitment to allowing the tax reform bills to proceed, urging the NEC to respect the legislative process.
The PNYF, a youth coalition from northern Nigeria, expressed firm support for the president’s decision, challenging the position taken by the Northern Governors’ Forum and calling their stance unrepresentative of the people.
“The Progressive Northern Youth Forum (PNYF) commends President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for rejecting the National Economic Council’s (NEC) recommendation to withdraw the tax reform bills,” said Abdulkadir Bala, PNYF Secretary General, in a statement. “We also want to clarify that the North does not support the Northern Governors’ Forum’s position. Their call for withdrawal does not reflect the true views of our region.”
Bala accused the governors of lacking initiative, stating they rely too heavily on federal allocations rather than fostering local revenue sources. “The governors have consistently shown reluctance to lead and instead prefer federal handouts, squandering the region’s resources. Rather than proposing similar bills to boost internally generated revenue, the governors oppose efforts to reduce dependency on federal allocations,” he added.
PNYF argued that the governors had an opportunity to influence the legislative process but instead opted for a withdrawal. “If the governors genuinely cared about their constituents, they would have offered constructive input rather than calling for a pullback of these bills,” Bala said.
Questioning the governors’ motivations, he continued, “What is the Northern Governors’ Forum afraid of? They want to keep relying on federal funding without developing revenue-generating initiatives of their own. There is no evidence that these governors have effectively used the allocations they receive from the federal government.”
Bala urged the governors to stop opposing “people-oriented” bills and warned of potential public backlash if they continue to undermine policies aimed at economic independence. “The people may soon feel compelled to demand their impeachment or resignation if they continue to shirk their responsibilities,” he added.
The PNYF reaffirmed its backing for the tax reforms, viewing them as necessary for modernizing Nigeria’s tax system and aligning it with international standards. “The North fully supports the tax reform bills, which will streamline Nigeria’s tax administration and overhaul the system,” the statement concluded.
