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Ali Ndume, a senator from Borno South in Nigeria’s National Assembly, has sharply criticized the tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu, asserting that they are “dead on arrival” and unlikely to gain traction within the legislative body. His remark adds to a chorus of skepticism from lawmakers who appear wary of the proposed fiscal policies.
Senator Ndume encouraged President Tinubu to act on the counsel of the National Economic Council (NEC) and the Northern Governors’ Forum by retracting the tax reform bills. According to Ndume, input from these regional and economic councils reflects critical perspectives that should not be overlooked.
“If it goes on like that, I can tell you that it will be dead on arrival. We don’t need to study the bills,” the unsparingly blunt lawmaker known for his unconventional stance on national issues said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
Ndume urged the government to prioritize citizens’ well-being, saying, “Let people live first before you start asking for taxes.” Known for his long tenure in the National Assembly, he argued that federal policy should focus on relieving, not increasing, the tax obligations shouldered by Nigerians amid tough economic conditions.
“The general thing is that Nigerians are not willing to talk about or pay any tax now considering the (economic) situation we are in now,” he said.
“Nigerians are willing to pay taxes but they can only pay taxes when they can afford it. Right now, people are struggling to survive. Let people live first before you start asking them for taxes,” he added.
The senator said “it will be fair to shut the bill down, it is the fairest thing to do”, indicating that he has started campaigning against the bills among his colleagues and he is getting good support to throw out the bills.
Ndume, a member of President Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC), urged that the focus of the administration should be on reforming its own processes rather than increasing the tax burden on Nigerians.
He emphasized that before considering any additional taxes, the government must streamline its internal operations to ensure efficiency.
Read also: Northern Loyalty To Tinubu Unfazed By Tax Reform – APC
He said, “What he (Tinubu) needs to do is to withdraw the bill, educate Nigerians and make us understand it. We are representing the people and the people that we are representing have already spoken.
“The governors, the traditional rulers have said that the bill is not good. So, the best thing to do is to immediately withdraw it.
“Right now, what our people are saying is that they don’t want VAT bill, they don’t even want to hear about it. That is why we are going to make it dead on arrival.”
The tax reform bills which have been sent to the National Assembly have faced scathing criticisms with the 36 state governors asking the President to withdraw the bills from the legislature.
However, the President insisted that the bills won’t be withdrawn but “inputs and necessary changes” can be made by the lawmakers.
