Strong divisions have emerged among the 36 state governors under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) over the controversial tax reform bills pending before the National Assembly.
President Bola Tinubu submitted the bills, which have sparked widespread criticism and opposition, particularly from northern governors.
The ongoing disagreement became evident on Wednesday night, when the governors held a brief and unusually tense meeting at the NGF Secretariat in Abuja. The meeting lasted only an hour and ended without a communiqué or the customary press briefing.
The 19 northern governors have firmly rejected key provisions of the bills, calling for their withdrawal to allow for further consultations.
The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima and comprising all 36 governors, had expressed opposition to the bills earlier.
The governors convened at 10 p.m. but emerged an hour later without addressing journalists. Observers noted the absence of the usual camaraderie among the attendees, with some walking in clusters according to their regional affiliations.
Sources who spoke with Vanguard revealed that the governors failed to reach a consensus on the tax reform bills, which include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.
Reports suggest that the meeting’s late start and the staggered arrival of governors indicated underlying tensions. Two governors arrived first, followed by Senator Hope Uzodinma, the governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum. He came with his APC colleagues after meeting with party Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.