Tax Reform Bill, Re-election: Tinubu Plots Bulwark Against Northern Threat

By Akinjide Aina, Abuja Bureau Chief

Despite the bloc support the controversial tax reform of President Bola Tinubu received from the Nigerian Governors Forum last week, multiple  sources have told this magazine that President Bola Tinubu may have decided to take seriously the relentless threat from the Northern part of the country against the reform and his re-election in 2027

Recall that the tax reform bill currently before the National Assembly has been attracting opposition from the Northern intelligentsia- political, academic, religious and traditional leaders- on the grounds that it would cripple the region economically. Many Northern politicians, including chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, have vowed to work against the President’s re-eletion  unless he jettisoned the controversial tax reforms.

The bipartisan nature of the Muslim North opposition against the President on the account of the tax reform bill, sources inform The source Magazine, is a source of serious concern to the President.

Said a source conversant with the unfolding political intrigues: “Even governors and federal lawmakers from the core Muslim North elected on the platform of the APC have openly spoken out, strongly, against the tax reform bill and, whether you like it or not, against the President too. They are not hiding their belligerent mood and resolve to move against Mr President’s re-election if he insists on going ahead with the bill. Do not be deceived by the endorsement the tax reform bill got last week from the Nigerian Governor Forum. Many Northern Governors remain opposed to the tax reform which they perceive as anti-North.

“Those who haven’t spoken or who may not speak out are quietly throwing their weights against the bill. The situation is currently causing the  President’s trusted allies and members of his kitchen cabinet some disquiet”

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi, Senators Ali Ndume, Tahir Monguno, Abdul Ningi are among top serving Northern politicians who  kicked against the tax reform bill. Many more Northern Governors and National Assembly members across parties are believed to be opposed to the tax bill but have elated to work behind the scenes to truncate it failing which they have vowed to truncate President Tinubu’s second term bid.

Speaking in Bauchi, the Bauchi state capital  during the Christmas festivities while receiving the Christian community in the State who paid him a Christmas homage, Governor Mohammed accused President Tinubu of sectionalism and threatened that the region would show him its true colour in 2027 if he insists on pushing throug the tax reform bill which he claimed is anti- North: “We are calling on the Presidency and the Federal Government to change their style. Whenever a policy is not popular, they should listen to the people, they should not be arrogant and think that whatever we bring, must be. This is not an oligarchy, this is not a military rule, they must listen to the people and that is what makes a good leader.

“And we pledge to be loyal to them but anything they are doing contrary to that, they are calling for anarchy, they are calling for intransigence and it is unacceptable.

“The Presidency must listen to the cries about Tax Reform.It is not a good policy for Northern Nigeria because we are not going to get money to pay you salaries, to do roads. They must listen, otherwise, they are calling for anarchy. And that is not good.

“We voted for the Presidency in this State and other states, they must listen to us. They must not come up with policies that favour only one section of the country or even one state in the country. It is not about religion, it is not about tribe, it is about national unity, it is about national hegemony and this is what we are all about, good leadership. We will continue to be loyal for the time being, if the situation persists, they will see our real colour, we are going to fight for it.

“We are not afraid of them, even if it’s the President, we are not afraid of them, except that we only show respect. Whether it is a traditional institution, or it is the Federal Government or it is the President, honestly, we are not afraid of them but we can only show our obedience and respect to leadership. But we will not allow anyone to denigrate us”, said the Governor who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governors Forum.

Meanwhile, apart from his emphatic declaration during Presidential Media chat last month that there was no going back on the tax bill, feelers from the Presidency indicate that the President is poised to damm the likely political consequences of the bill and have therefore resolved not to back down on its passage.

The President is reportedly determined to muscle his way with the bill and have it passed in both chambers of the National Assembly without any alteration even if it means losing key Northern support for his re-election.

However, to douse the opposition to the tax bill and by extension his re-election bid, the magazine gathered that the President have enlisted  respected Southwest political, religious leaders as well as traditional rulers to help calm frayed nerves in the North.

The recent visit of the  Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and his entourage to former President Muhammadu Buhari in his hometown, Daura,  Kastina state, is believed to be one of such trouble-shooting emissaries despatched by President Tinubu.

Former President Buhari, famous for his irredentism in favour of the core muslim North, is reportedly fiercely oppose to the tax bill for allegedly being anti- North and is said to be predisposed to joining forces with anti- Tinubu elements in the region to torpedo the President’s second term bid.

The Source magazine has, however, been told that should the North remain implacable, President Tinubu would consider rallying the Southern and Northern Minorities for his re-election.

Said an Aso Rock source: “Don’t forget that in the  2011 Presidential election, the whole of the so called core Muslim North voted for Buhari against President Jonathan, infact Jonathan lost woefully to Buhari in the core Muslim North but won overwhelmingly in the entire southern Nigeria and in the minority Northern Christian communities and also in the Middle Belt states. And that was how President Jonathan massively won the 2011 presidential election.

“All cards are still on the table. If circumstances later dictate that Mr President rallies the Southern and Northern minorities, he will do so, afterrall, those were the people who gave Jonathan victory in 2011.”

A political analyst, Tobenna Igwekile, however, opine that the Jonathan 2011 scenario will significantly differ from the likely Tinubu scenario in 2027 should he decide to appeal to the  Southern and Northern minorities’ sentiments.

“Jonathan was a Christian with an Hausa/Fulani runing mate contesting against a Muslim Fulani candidate; and it was quite easy for him to attract virtually all the votes of Northern minorities and Middle Belt states and Southern Nigeria which are predominantly Christians.

“In the case of Tinubu, such sympathy from Northern minorities and Middle Belt, and even Southern Nigeria, particularly Southeast and South south, may be lacking if he sticks to his Muslim-Muslim ticket”, Igwekile said.