By our Reporter
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has denied threatening the President, saying that his statement was taken as a threat but that he has the “greatest respect” for the presidency.
Mohammed had on December 26 expressed his rejection of the controversial Tax Reform Bill, warning the President against proceeding with the reform and alerting that the bill was against the North and many other states with economic strength.
The Governor also said that the insistence might result in anarchy, adding that he would show their “true colour” if the President proceeded with the reform.
Mohammed was cautioned by the Presidency to always speak as a statesman while urging him to retract his “threat” against the President, Tinubu. The Presidency also published the accrued allocation to the state under the present administration.
In response, a five-page statement by Mukhtar Gidado, the Governor’s Media Aide, on Tuesday said that despite the avoidable misunderstanding generated by the proposed tax reform “due to its poor handling, we want to assure the Presidency that, in keeping with his reputation as a nationalist and statesman, Governor Bala Mohammed remains committed to collaborating with the Federal Government to address all national challenges, including the Tax Reform Bill in its present unacceptable form, for the overall growth and development of our dear Country.”
Gidado stated, “It is the height of mischief that Governor Bala Mohammed’s candid advice on the dangers of proceeding with bad decisions or policies that could worsen the plight of the masses has been taken out of context as a threat to the presidency. It would have been out of character for him to threaten the President or the presidency, an institution for which he has the greatest respect.
“His remarks were essentially precautionary, given the deep-seated frustrations caused by the prevailing economic situation, and were aimed at ensuring that the proposed tax reforms are equitable, inclusive, and sensitive to the unique socio-economic challenges of the constituent parts of the country. His overall aim, as he has always done, was to foster dialogue and advocate for policies that protect the interests of ordinary Nigerians, particularly those in economically disadvantaged states.
“When Governor Bala Mohammed asserted that the Presidency’s attempt to shove the discredited tax reforms down the throat of Nigerians was a recipe for anarchy, he spoke from the position of someone who is closer to the populace and who carries the mandate of not only the over seven million people of Bauchi State but who also possesses an intimate knowledge of a very significant sub-regional group in the country.”
He added that it is not by accident that Mohammed’s reservation against the tax reforms coincides with those of some APC governors who have consistently warned against implementing the proposed reform in its present form. According to him, it smacks of a “disingenuous attempt at blackmail and a throwback to the insensitivity of the Government to single Bala Mohammed out for inquisition. Could it be because he is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
”The statement further challenged the Presidency that if it had genuinely desired an all-inclusive tax reform that would command the buy-in of various stakeholders and subnational groups in the country, it could have subjected a draft to discussion before “railroading” it to the National Assembly.“It did not. Even when it was given a soft landing by the National Economic Council, NEC, a body headed by the Vice President of the country and which, by that token, was expected to command the respect of the President, its advice that the reform be taken back was blatantly disregarded. So, who is against dialogue?
“To put it mildly, it is dishonest to accuse Governor Bala Mohammed, as the Presidency has done in its face-saving response, of adopting an anti-dialogue or unstatesmanlike posture. That is not the antecedent of Bala Mohammed who, at different times in his illustrious service to the nation, has stuck his neck out to uphold those principles that strengthen national cohesion, constitutionalism, and good governance.
“It is on record that even in the life of this Administration, some mischievous elements across party lines have accused the Bauchi State Governor of pandering to the interests of the Tinubu Administration. Conscious that such is the fate of patriots, he is undeterred by these criticisms and remains resolute in pushing conversations and narratives that will deepen good governance and national unity,” he said.
