Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has clarified that the northern region is not opposed to the proposed Tax Reform Bills, emphasizing that the main opposition comes from governors concerned about the impact of the reforms.
Bwala made these remarks during an interview on Channels Television, refuting claims that the northern region had rejected the tax reforms. He pointed out that while some northern governors, along with the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, initially opposed the bill, the true resistance stems from governors who fear a reduction in their states’ income if the new revenue sharing system is adopted.
The Tax Reform Bill, forwarded to the National Assembly by President Tinubu on October 3, 2024, includes provisions for significant changes, such as renaming the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).
Bwala stressed, “It is not a North versus South issue; it is about governors whose states will be financially impacted. Governors from both the North and South have concerns, but the vocal opposition has been more visible from northern leaders.”
He also reminded the public that similar disputes, such as the opposition to local government autonomy, were not rooted in regional differences but in governors’ concerns over losing political power. Bwala’s statement aimed to clear up misconceptions about the tax reform’s regional reception and to focus on the larger issue of governance and fiscal restructuring.
