Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, sent an unequivocal reply to the Presidency on Tuesday, saying he stands by his comment on the proposed tax reforms by President Bola Tinubu.
“I cannot be threatened as a governor. I stand by my comments. It is not meant to malign, insult or to do anything to the contrary other than mean well,” Mohammed said.
The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum warned that the Presidency should not be arrogant but listen to the people, stressing that the proposed tax bills, if passed, would have “concomitant effects” and threaten the survival of the sub-nationals and impoverish them.
“We believe that as the leader of the federation and all other federating units, they should listen to us, not to be arrogant and showing some elements of impunity that whatever happens, they would go ahead,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed faulted the Presidency’s “undemocratic” stance on the tax bills, saying that even those with military backgrounds would have listened to the people and addressed the “areas of suspicion and mistrust” in the proposed piece of legislation.
He said some states should not be allowed to die because they do not have the headquarters of companies in Nigeria.
