Fifteen governors, mostly from the All Progressives Congress (APC), convened on Wednesday night at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Secretariat in Abuja for a high-level meeting.
The gathering also included two opposition governors, Alex Otti of Abia State (Labour Party) and Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State (All Progressives Grand Alliance).
Although the agenda of the meeting was not disclosed to the press, it took place against the backdrop of heated debates surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s proposed tax reform bills.
These bills, currently under review by the National Assembly, have drawn significant backlash, including resistance from the NGF and the National Economic Council (NEC).
The 19 northern governors have been particularly critical, rejecting major provisions of the reforms and advocating for their withdrawal.
They argue that the proposed laws could disproportionately impact their regions, further deepening existing economic disparities.
President Tinubu’s administration introduced the tax reform bills—which include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill—as part of a broader effort to modernize the country’s tax system and boost revenue.
While supporters of the reforms emphasize their potential to ensure economic stability and improve fiscal efficiency, critics, including several governors, have raised concerns that the changes might impose excessive financial burdens on states and exacerbate regional inequalities.
The outcome of the governors’ meeting is expected to shed light on the future direction of these reforms as the debate continues.