I watched the presentation by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives at the Channels Television town hall session on the tax reform bills with great interest, and came away very impressed by the arguments that he made. Since he left the House in 2023, the former Speaker has been quiet. Until this very impressive performance on a national stage, delivering deep truths about Northern Nigeria and the massive economic opportunity before it. He’s worth quoting extensively. He addressed various issues methodically, showing immense respect for views he disagreed with, and showing us a new standard for public debate. Among the issues he touched on were the allegations that President Tinubu is anti-North (false); that the Tax Reform Bills are being uncharacteristically rushed (false). Dogara said: “I want to talk to my brothers in the North.

I don’t think this is the time for us to begin to condemn the president. And to begin to say that on account of these bills, he’s anti-North. Because I want to remind us that the president has done something that is significant. In my lifetime, if we can pursue this to the end, it will be that there’s no Northern leader of my lifetime that has done what the president has done for the North.

And I will tell you, it’s the creation of the Livestock Ministry. The global market size of dairies, of beef, in the next three years, will rise to about 2.5 trillion US dollars. So if in the north, we’re able to organize ourselves in such a way that we can corner just 5 percent, just 5 percent of this global market size of dairies and beef. I tell you, that gives us [125] billion US dollars.

We don’t need VAT from any State in Nigeria to survive. We are the most endowed part of Nigeria. We have all the resources. We can survive.” These are profound words that should be translated into local languages across the country — kudos to the former Speaker for this bold and insightful affirmation of the North’s economic potential, which can be attained with visionary and determined leadership.” His words made me interested in digging deeper into the (false) narrative of President Tinubu being anti-North.

What I found is interesting – nothing could be further from the truth. A man who holds the prestigious title of Jagaban of Borgu Kingdom, and has held this title since 2006, does not get and maintain such an honour by being disdainful of a region. A quick look at the President’s 19 months so far in office will reveal several landmark initiatives targeted at supporting and developing Northern Nigeria.

I will list some of the ones that come to mind most readily. In addition to the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development, there is also the establishment of North West Development Commission, which received presidential assent in July 2024, the effort that has gone into redesigning and re-awarding the contract for the reconstruction of Section 1 (Abuja-Kaduna) segment of the Abuja-Kano Expressway. In August 2023, the President flagged off the construction of a 1,350MW gas-fired power plant in the FCT, which, when completed, will be transformational to the economy of Northern Nigeria. What of the major security gains being seen across Northern Nigeria — with dozens of bandit and terrorist leaders neutralized, major highways being secured; the launch of the 50 billion Naira Pulako Initiative under the oversight of the Vice President, targeting seven frontline Northern States most affected by banditry.

Still on the matter of security, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and both Defence Ministers have been appointed from Northern Nigeria in recognition of how critical security is to the region, in light of what it has gone through in the last decade and half. There is also the flag-off of the construction of the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Expressway, with work commencing from the Sokoto end, the good progress being seen on the Kano-Kaduna and Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Rail projects, and the Presidential approval for upgrade of Maiduguri Airport (Muhammadu Buhari Airport) to International status, with an operational take-off date of January 2025.

Even the tax reforms will benefit the region’s people significantly. The reforms being proposed by the President will ensure that all Nigerians earning one million Naira per annum and less will be completely exempted from PAYE tax. This is a huge deal, and tens of millions of Nigerians, including Northerners, will benefit. The reforms also include VAT exemption on transportation, rent, petroleum products, as well as a “zero rating” of VAT on food, healthcare, education. So, in essence, the biggest items that Nigerians spend their hard-earned incomes on will see reduced tax burdens – and Northern Nigeria will not be left out. As Yakubu Dogara said, it is very essential for us all to familiarize ourselves with the actual details of the reform bills, instead of listening to false and misleading claims and opposition propaganda circulating on the Internet. In the former Speaker’s very frank words, “You see, all of us operate within the available light that we have. For instance, when I first heard about these tax reforms, I was merely listening to people interpret what these proposals were. As a matter of fact, I had not even read them myself.

So in most cases, people react to information without bothering to check if those information they have had are actually true. So you cannot blame a lot of people when they react this way, because they are listening to their leaders who are misinforming them, so to say.” One major edge that Dogara has is that he can speak from practical experience, not just theoretically. He knows first-hand the importance of moving fast when a matter requires urgent solutions. He cited the example of the North East Development Commission Bill, which he sponsored. “I know how hurriedly we put that bill together. And then because of the level of devastation then in the Northeast, and then the parlous nature of the livelihood of the people there, everybody understood with us. And I believe that these [tax] reforms too are as important as the measures that led us to do that in the National Assembly,” he said. As for the demand for the tax reform bills to be withdrawn, he made a most important point. “The question of withdrawing these bills does not arise. The National Assembly is the proper forum for debate, for contestation, for disagreement.

Nothing stops the National Assembly from holding a joint public hearing on the bill between the Senate and the House of Representatives. If the Northern governors have issues, let them articulate their issues. Proffer solutions, the president has said, this is the best way I intend to achieve this. We are free to disagree with the president and say, look, we disagree. We agree with the general principles, but instead of what the president has proposed, this is our own proposal. All of us, if we’re invited, should be able to avail ourselves as part of our civic duty to be at the National Assembly in order to look at all the issues that have been raised and to proffer solution.” No piece of legislation is indeed perfect. I would say, in my view, the Tax Reform Bills are eighty to ninety percent without blemish. For the remaining 10 to 20 percent that might appear somewhat controversial, there is certainly room for further consultations, negotiations and compromises. But we should not be guilty of throwing out the baby with the bath water; we should not allow a handful of imperfections to stand in the way of the greater good. Let the consultations continue, but let us also be clear that at the end of the day, Nigeria will be better off with President Tinubu’s far-reaching tax reforms.