On Saturday, December 7, Babangida Aliyu, a former chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, took a swipe at Nigerians speaking against tax reform bills, saying those against the bills have not taken their time to study them.
Aliyu, also a former governor of Niger State, who berated the federal government for not communicating the content of the bills properly to Nigerians, said the citizens needed to understand that no policy benefits everyone equally.
Recall that four bills, including the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024, and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024, have sparked nationwide debate since their introduction to the National Assembly.
At a meeting on October 28, governors of the 19 northern states under the platform of the Northern Governors Forum had rejected the new derivation-based model for Value Added Tax distribution outlined in the tax reform bills.
Days later, the National Economic Council called for the bills’ withdrawal, urging the president to allow more consultations.
But speaking at the graduation ceremony at the National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja, for the Executive Intelligence Management Course 17, Aliyu wondered why some Nigerians were resistant to the reform.
He said, “I was speaking to the NSA when we were in the common room, and I said to him, look, many of the people debating the tax bills have not read them.
“But again, there is the problem of communication, the government should speak more. When the majority of the people are not literate, you should be the first to speak on any major policy, particularly a policy that will bring changes, so, that the people can understand.
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“You cannot say because of one person, the policy cannot be taken. So communication is very, very important,”
he added.
Speaking at the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima highlighted the evolving nature of global threats, including cyber warfare and disinformation, calling for innovative responses and a redefinition of security paradigms.
Shettima, who was represented by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, also stressed that technology must serve as a tool for progress, not a weapon of destruction.
The security issues we face—from terrorism and transnational crime to climate migration and cyber warfare—transcend borders.
“Your journey through this institution has equipped you not only to defend but to build alliances that honour our shared humanity. Learning is the gateway to finding lasting solutions to complex problems.
“Our world shrinks every day, and no challenge in one nation can be isolated from others. The social and economic tensions we must douse as leaders cannot be addressed with archaic ideas,”
he added.
He urged the graduands to transform crises into opportunities for stability and growth, describing the current era as standing “at the confluence of opportunities and vulnerabilities.
