Kwankwaso joins chorus against Tax Reform Bills, tells Tinubu to listen to the people

Former Governor of Kano State and national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu for ignoring concerns raised about the proposed tax reform bills. In an interview with BBC Hausa Service monitored by our correspondent in Bauchi, Kwankwaso expressed disappointment at the president’s dismissive attitude towards public objections regarding the bills.

Kwankwaso emphasized that in a democracy, it is crucial for leaders to be responsive to the concerns of the people, especially on policies that directly impact them. He stressed that the proposed tax reforms, which are part of Tinubu’s administration’s agenda, would only exacerbate the divide between the rich and the poor in the country.

Describing the tax bills as “anti-poor,” Kwankwaso warned that they would push more Nigerians into poverty and deepen inequality. He urged President Tinubu to reconsider his firm stance and engage with Nigerians’ concerns, suggesting that the government must be willing to accommodate different viewpoints in order to create policies that are truly beneficial to the population.

Kwankwaso’s remarks come amidst growing criticisms of the government’s approach to tax reform, with several groups and individuals raising alarms about the potential adverse effects of the proposed changes on the nation’s socio-economic landscape.