₦airaland Forum

As a Northerner, I'm disheartened to see that many competent individuals who could effectively represent our region's interests often shy away from doing so. And many of those who do speak on our behalf often lack the requisite expertise, inadvertently ridiculing us in the process.

The Tax Reform Bill demands a more thoughtful approach from Northern stakeholders. Merely rejecting the bill without providing clear, informed reasoning is insufficient. It's essential to articulate a well-structured position, highlighting areas of agreement, disagreement, and proposed alternatives.

This entails clearly outlining what aspects of the bill are acceptable, what needs revision, and what should be added to ensure the bill benefits the North and Nigeria as a whole. By presenting a coherent, data-driven argument, Northern stakeholders can engage constructively with proponents of the bill and contribute meaningfully to the bill's refinement.

I haven't seen a detailed position from the Northern Governors Forum or that of Arewa Consultative Forum, Council of Ulamas, Tax experts and the likes.

It's time for Arewa to adopt a more mature, solutions-oriented approach, moving beyond mere opposition and instead, providing actionable recommendations that can inform the bill's development, since there are a lot of things contained in the bill that are for the good of the country.

naptu2:
Background

Salihu Tanko Yakasai (Peacock @dawisu) was the special adviser on new media to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano. Like his father Tanko Yakasai (who was Shagari's presidential liaison to the National Assembly), he is very outspoken. He doesn't hesitate to speak his mind. This has often gotten him into trouble (just like his father often got into trouble).


He annoyed some Kanawa because he defended his boss, Abdullahi Ganduje during the dollargate scandal.

He also annoyed some Kanawa because of his criticism and mocking of the former Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, when the Emir had problems with Governor Ganduje.


He was suspended from office in October 2020 for criticising President Buhari over the End SARS protest.
Governor Ganduje Suspends Salihu Yakasai For Criticising Buhari Over #EndSARS

He was reinstated a few weeks later.

However, he was sacked in February 2021 and detained by the DSS for criticising President Buhari again and asking him to resign after some school children were kidnapped by bandits.
Ganduje Sacks Salihu Tanko Yakasai Over "Unguarded Comments"

Salihu Tanko-Yakasai: SSS Confirms The Arrest and Detention Of Ganduje's Ex-Aide

"Asking Buhari To Resign Is Not An Offence, Release Tanko-Yakasai" – Falana

His father said that his son was just beginning his journey and he stated that he was arrested 10 times. Salihu Tanko Yakasai then joked that he had 9 more arrests to go.

Some activists complained when he was listed as a speaker at the Soro Soke Summit in 2021
"Activists" Complain As Dawisu Is Listed As A Speaker At 'Soro Soke' Summit


Salihu Tanko Yakasai resigned from the APC on March 21, 2022.
Salihu Tanko Yakasai Dumps APC.

He once again called for President Buhari's resignation on March 29th, 2022 after an attack on a train on the Kaduna-Abuja Line.
Salihu Tanko Yakasai Calls For President Buhari To Resign

In May 2022 he declared his intention to run for the governorship of Kano on the platform of the PRP.
Salihu Tanko Yakasai (Dawisu) Declares Intention To Run For Governor Of Kano

Politics Without Bitterness As Ganduje And Dawisu's Convoys Greet Each Other.

And in August 2023 he returned to the APC. He said that the national chairman of the APC, Dr Ganduje, had invited him back to the APC to consolidate on the gains that he has made.

Salihu 'Dawisu' Tanko Yakasai Returns To APC In Kano

The arguments paraded by those against the bill are mostly pedestrian. First example, Professor Babagana Zulum argued that the bill would cripple the north and they won't be able to pay salaries. Is there not more to governance than paying salaries?

Ali Ndume said there should be more consultations. I think we should start publishing what each state generates and contributes. Many states are lazy and want to be lazy. They know they'd be badly exposed as unproductive if the bill sees the light of day.

Two lawmakers from Kano, Senator Barau Jubril and Representative Abdulmumin Jibrin, have publicly supported the bill. Kano will benefit from the bill because of trade.

Without FG, some states will collapse.

On my first visit to the US in 2014, I wanted to buy headphones. I took it from the shelf with confidence. When I was ready to pay, they added $76 more! I asked why. They gently explained to me that they added the Federal tax, state tax and county tax. I jejely returned the headphones. When I got to my hotel, the room I reserved for one week was about $525. They now hammered me with $700! They added their taxes.

When I worked in some organizations abroad, taxes are deducted at source. You are also required to declare your taxes and you must pay any outstanding or get refunded any excess you may have paid. If you lie about anything or you try to cheat, you get fined or jailed or both.

Societies depend on taxes for survival. Only some societies like UAE and Qatar are tax-free because they have buffers (oil and gas) and a small population to cushion the effects. I hear that removing money from those countries can be difficult. I may be wrong.

The tax reform bill is to ensure those who earn heavily pay more taxes and that states with robust economic activities make more money in keeping most of the taxes collected.

Those against the bill are those uninterested in developing robust economic activities in their states and want feeding bottle Abuja economics.

How do you destroy beer in the name of Hisbah police but want taxes from the sale of alcohol elsewhere? Make it make sense.

Freedom4us:
The North believes they own Nigeria but contribute the least, while taking the lion share of everything.

those days are coming to an end

It's time for Arewa to adopt a more mature, solutions-oriented approach, moving beyond mere opposition and instead, providing actionable recommendations that can inform the bill's development, since there are a lot of things contained in the bill that are for the good of the country.

This entails clearly outlining what aspects of the bill are acceptable, what needs revision, and what should be added to ensure the bill benefits the North and Nigeria as a whole. By presenting a coherent, data-driven argument, Northern stakeholders can engage constructively with proponents of the bill and contribute meaningfully to the bill's refinement.

emkz:
North has no position apart from suspicion and the claim by Babagana Zulum that they are not ready. He failed to say when they'd be ready.

The bill is going to benefit states with a lot of consumption and economic activity. Like Kano, Kaduna. It will push states to settle down and become productive.

I shared the following elsewhere:





Northerners complain that budget is against them even when they all sat there when the budget was passed. One of them lied that Tinubu was operating a budget different from what the Senate passed. Peter Onwuabasi Obi (POO) rushed to sew his ill thought-out twitter tantrums to blast Tinubu based on a lie Abdul Ningi said.

The question I have for northerners is:

Do you want Nigeria to move forward or you want to keep your people in perpetual poverty? Why can't you implement economic activities to empower your people so you can make more money in taxes?