The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has said the Tax reform bills were “conceived in bad faith” and threatened national cohesion.
The NEF made this known in a communique on Saturday after the forum’s Board of Trustees second bi-annual meeting, in Abuja.
The group said the manner of its implementation leaves much to be dedired, adding that key stakeholders, including members of the National Economic Council, were sidelined during the it’s formulation.
The Convener of NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi, who described the policies as dubious , warned that it could further marginalise the North’s resource potential.
The communique praised the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Nigeria Council of Traditional Rulers for rejecting the bill, describing their stance as “patriotic”.
The NEF urged Northern politicians in the National Assembly to speak out against it.
“The meeting seriously maintained that, in its present form, the Tax Reform Bill is conceived in bad faith, poorly packaged and it is a palpable threat to our unity and national cohesion.
“The meeting proceeded by drawing attention to the brazen cavalier way and suspicious manner in which the Tax Reform Bill was imposed on the nation, without allowing the in-puts of critical stakeholders, even as it kept members of the National Economic Council in the dark, thus; confirming the sinister intentions of those promoting this outrageous Bill.
“The Board-in-session, condemned in very strong terms, the conspicuous loss of voice on this burning issue by the overwhelming number of elected politicians in the National Assembly from the region, and fiercely warned, that indeed, the days are fast gone when such conspiratorial connivance against the vital and strategic interest of the region, either by those within or outside the region, would not be condoned or even tolerated,” the forum said.
Northerners should remain vigilant in defending their rights, particularly during elections, and warned against falling victim to manipulation by unscrupulous leaders with questionable records, the communique said.
