Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, said on Tuesday that he would not retract his comments on the tax reform bills put in place by President Bola Tinubu.
The presidency, had on Monday, asked the governor to withdraw some of the statements he made on the controversial tax reform bills.
The governor condemned the tax reform initiatives during a visit of the Bauchi State Christian Community to the Government House on Christmas Day, describing them as “anti-north” and favouring only a section of the country.
Continuing, the governor, in what the Presidency deplored as a direct threat on the president, warned that should the policies be ratified, the north would “show Tinubu its true colours.”
He stressed that the President was calling for anarchy with the reforms, noting that the bills could lead to economic setbacks and threaten national unity.
Mohammed urged the Federal Government to reconsider and adopt more inclusive policies.
However, reacting on Monday, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to the President, Sunday Dare, in a post on his X handle said the statements credited to Mohammed on the tax reform bills and other recent rhetoric were unbecoming of a state governor.
The presidential spokesman consequently asked the governor to retract his speech, particularly the one in which he threatened the president.
Firing back, the governor, who featured in Channels Television‘s 2024 Year-End Review programme on Tuesday, said he stands by his comment on the tax reforms.
He urged the federal government to listen to the people, saying the tax bills, if allowed to sail through would threaten the survival of the states and impoverish them.
He warned that some states should not be allowed to die because they do not have the headquarters of companies in Nigeria.
Mohammed said: “I cannot be threatened as a governor. I stand by my comments. It is not meant to malign, insult or do anything to the contrary other than mean well.
“We believe that as the leader of the federation and all other federating units, they should listen to us. They should not be arrogant and show some elements of impunity that whatever happens, they would go ahead.”
