GOVERNOR Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has dismissed insinuations suggesting that Northern governors are fighting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because of the tax reforms he is initiating.
Governor Sule stated this when he hosted a coalition of denominations under the umbrella of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on a thank-you visit at the Government House on Wednesday.
The Governor dismissed claims suggesting that Northern governors are fighting the President over his tax reforms.
According to him, it is only in a country like Nigeria where you see people who fought against the coming of President Tinubu are now claiming to love him more than those who stood for him and fought to bring him into office.
He pointed out their collective stand on the need for more consultations regarding the passage of the tax bills currently before the National Assembly, particularly regarding the aspects of Value Added Tax (VAT), is what some vested interests are misconstruing to mean the that the governors in the North are fighting the President.
Governor Sule said contrary to such view, governors like him have everything to appreciate President Tinubu for making governance easier and more beneficial for them.
“I am happy that you are following up on the tax reforms because you called for more sensitization. That is all we ask for. That is all the grammar that you hear back and forth. It is not that any governor has anything personal against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We love our President.
“It is because of the President that today, all the projects we are executing, I am not borrowing one naira. All the work that you see going on, I did not borrow one naira. I cannot therefore turn around and fight the President who has helped me to look good,” he said.
Governor Sule, however, insisted that there are hidden issues about the tax bills which needed to be explained for better understanding.
“Just like I have never been a teacher, I have never been a legislature. Because of that, we called for the withdrawal of the bills to look at it again. They said it’s a wrong language. You can actually make amendments to the bills without necessarily withdrawing it. I said that is what I am looking for. I am not looking for any trouble,” he stated.
On the aspect of VAT, the governor expressed confidence that he knows a lot more than most of those arguing in favour of the tax reforms, considering his background from the organized private sector.
“The aspect of VAT I understand more than most of them. I didn’t even know how VAT was being utilized. I only knew how VAT was generated. As a CEO of some of the companies, we collected by invoicing customers at the time VAT was 5 per cent, collecting it from the customers and remitting to the Federal Internal Revenue Service. That was my work. Who was using it, how it was distributed, I didn’t even know until I became a governor. That was when I knew that we could collect VAT, and it would help the state towards capital projects.
“When I talk about VAT, I talk with authority because I know what it is. I know how it is generated. I know how much it is. Today, it’s VAT that is making every state shine. Because the amount of VAT at 7.5 percent is what is making every state comfortable.
“Nasarawa State, since they started this, we have not received less than N4bn from VAT alone monthly. We are rightly apprehensive that all these projects we have, and now they are saying they will remove VAT from FAAC, I had to raise my hand because I have sworn by the Quran to defend the people. I can’t keep quiet,” he stated.
He described as unfortunate attempts by some vested interest to want you turn around the issues by saying that Northern governors are fighting President Tinubu.
“For some people making noise and saying the Northern governors are fighting the President, nobody is fighting the president. How could you fight a President who has made you look good? This is the truth. All we are saying is that some aspects of it, we need to look into it.
“But you know, in this country, there are a lot of people looking for jobs. So, they want to show the President, they love him more than us. And we are the ones who fought some of those people in order for the President to get elected. We fought them, and they fought us back until he is elected. Today, they are on the other side. They are saying they love him more than we do love him. It’s only in Nigeria that you will see this kind of thing,” he added.
Governor Sule insisted that they are not fighting the President but that they only wanted him not to take decisions that could impact negatively on their chances for another term in office.
“They now are saying they are the ones protecting him. We that are saying, Mr. President, don’t do this because it may affect us in the next election, if you do something that is not going to be conducive to certain parts of the country or certain states. It may be injurious to us. We are the ones who truly love the President for saying what we are saying.
“Not somebody because they are looking for jobs to come and tell you that the Northern governors want to fight the President. Fight him how? If APC does not win and Nasarawa State is APC, we are in trouble. No matter what happens, we prefer APC to win as long as we are also APC,” he stated.
He appreciated the call made by the leader of the delegation and Chairman of CAN in Nasarawa State, Very Reverend Dr. Sunday Emma, who appealed to both the federal and state governments for more sensitization on the tax reforms.
“I love the part when you called for continuous sensitization on the bills. For me, they do the sensitization, they remove that language about VAT, I will be the advocate of the tax reforms. But the VAT aspect, all things around the VAT are going to be difficult for people who don’t have jobs, especially in our own part of the country. What is the IGR of Nasarawa State. Have you ever thought about it. Those are the difficult things we are talking about,” he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Nasarawa State CAN Chairman, Very Reverend Dr. Sunday Emma said the Christian community in the state are appealing to both the federal and state governments to create avenues for awareness on the tenets of the bills.
“Many Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the provisions of the reforms. It is only proper that intense sensitization be made in order to carry everyone alone,” he said.
The CAN Chairman said they were at the government house to show appreciation to Governor Sule for his inclusiveness in leadership.
“As we thank God for His immense love for us in 2024, we wish to, in a very sincere and unambiguous manner, appreciate Your Excellency and your team for piloting the affairs of our dear State in 2024, in a most organized, transparent, inclusive, unbiased, effective and above all the genuine fear of God. For this, we are most grateful, and we pray to God to continue to endow you with more wisdom to lead the people He has entrusted in your care,” he stated.