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Bala Mohammed urges President to reconsider Tax Bills
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider any proposed tax reform laws that might deepen regional divisions in Nigeria.
Mohammed said this at the opening of the State Executive Council (Exco) meeting at the Government House yesterday in Bauchi.
The governor said there was a need for policies that reflect fairness and unity across the country.
He expressed concern about the ongoing discussions around the national tax reform law, saying it might overlook the interests of the North.
“As one nation, Nigeria should avoid enacting laws that could potentially marginalise any region.
“I urge President Tinubu to refrain from approving any measures that could disadvantage certain regions,” Mohammed said.
Also, concerned leaders in Borno South Senatorial District have expressed support for the position of their senator, Mohammed Ali Ndume, for opposing Federal Government’s plan to reform tax administration in the country.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by their spokesman, Bulama Ali Haruna Sawa, the district’s leaders, under the aegis of Southern Borno Concerned Citizens, said they supported behind Ndume, who had urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to jettison his proposed tax reforms.
The statement said: “We fully identify with the positions of the Northern Governors, our revered Northern Elders and the National Economic Council, and, of course, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, over the matter.
“The said Bashir Adamu, if he actually exists, is at best a meddlesome interloper who is not known to anybody in Southern Borno.
“We challenge him to make a physical appearance as proof of his real identity, and to tell the world at which meeting it was agreed that the people of Southern Borno differ with their senator over the tax reform Bill.
“It is not only true that the Bills have the tendency to deepen the pedagogy of the Nigerian masses but are heavily skewed against our people and indeed the people of the North.
“We had expected Adamu Bashir to take up arguments based on issues raised by the senator in the interview rather than rush to the public with a poorly scripted demagogue on behalf of his paymasters.
“It is rather a paradox that Bashir talks about recalling Senator Ndume at a time we are getting pleased and satisfied with Ndume’s work as our senator.”
The group added: “It is also unfortunate that somebody somewhere has decided to trivialise the very serious issue of a Bill that will further cause harm to an already despairing populace, for obvious pecuniary gains.
“Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has often made us proud every time he comments on national issues, including the most recent one about the Tax Bill.
“While his views may sound repugnant to the powers that be, they are very pleasing to us and reflective of the mood of Nigerians in general. Never has Senator Ndume spoken about issues, and his views were found to be contrary to the general public’s expectations.
“To every right-thinking Nigerian, Senator Ndume merely re-echoed the prevailing sentiment in the country to the effect that some of the fiscal reforms being introduced in Nigeria are at variance with the general mood and antithetical, injurious, and painful to the citizen.
“It is a truism that at a time the governments of other countries, our neighbor, Ghana, are reducing taxes for their citizens, ours has become so insensitive, to the extent of increasing taxes.
“The Nigerian government ought to learn from the recent experiences of Kenya, where planned fiscal reforms plunged the country into a nationwide catastrophe.
“We are happy with Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, and we are satisfied with his outing so far.
“He represents what we stand for, and he epitomises our aspirations. As our representative, Senator Ndume has done so well and has our mandate to say all that he was quoted to have said in that particular interview, and of course others.”
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Drama As Abuja Bolt Driver Makes U-turn, Apologises To Abia Rep, Alex Ikwechegh
An Abuja Bolt driver, Stephen Abuwatseya has apologised to the Abia federal lawmaker, Alex Ikwechegh who assaulted him.
Abuwatseya said his provocative utterances caused a misunderstanding with Ikwechegh.
He asked Nigerians for forgiveness.
In a video released on Thursday, the Bolt driver urged Nigerians to move on from the incident.
He said: “Good day, Nigerians. My name is Stephen Abuwatseya. I had a misunderstanding with Rt. Hon. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh a few days ago. I actually want to apologize to him for whatever I must have said or done to provoke him to that level of anger.
“I want to tell Nigerians that it’s not time for us to start dividing ourselves based on religion, tribes, or regions. We should actually come together, see how we can unite this nation, and move it forward.
“Please, Nigerians, let’s forgive and forget, as it’s even contained in our Lord’s Prayer, that ‘Lord, please forgive us, as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ For there is no justice without forgiveness. Thank you very much.”
On October 28, the House of Representatives member representing Aba North/South of Abia State, assaulted the Bolt driver while he was delivering a package at his residence in Abuja.
In the footage, the lawmaker repeatedly slapped and insulted the driver.
Ikwechegh also threatened to make the Bolt driver disappear from Nigeria.
He was subsequently arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Kuje area of the Federal Capital Territory where he pleaded not guilty.
News
War: Trump will give Netanyahu a blank check – Ex-CIA boss, Panetta
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A former CIA director and US defence secretary Leon Panetta, Donald Trump would offer Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “blank cheque” in the Middle East once he takes office, potentially paving the door for a full-scale conflict between Israel and Iran.
He said that Israel would receive his approval for every action taken by the president-elect, who defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris to win the presidency this week and will return to office in January
“With regards to the Middle East, I think he’s basically going to give Netanyahu a blank check,” he said via the Guardian, UK.”
Whatever you do, whatever you want to do, whoever you want to go after, you have my blessing.’ I mean, he basically said that [before the election].”
Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel last year, Netanyahu has presided over attacks on Iran and its assets as part of an expanding conflict.
During the US election campaign, he reportedly spoke with the US president-elect.
Following Trump’s triumph over Kamala Harris on Wednesday, Netanyahu praised him.
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My relationship with Kwankwaso is perfect, Kano Gov reacts to alleged feud
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf has denied having any form of rift between him and his political leader, Rafiu Kwankwaso.
Responding to the rising tensions within the party, the NNPP’s state leadership recently suspended Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, Secretary to the State Government, and Muhammad Diggol, Commissioner of Transportation, accusing them of involvement in the “Abba Tsaya da Kafarka” campaign. Both officials have denied these allegations.
As support for this faction grows, other prominent members of the Kwankwasiyya movement, including House representatives Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini and Alhassan Rurum, have publicly distanced themselves from Kwankwaso, encouraging Yusuf to assert his independence.
Governor Yusuf, however, stood firm in his loyalty.
“It’s as if people do not understand the role Kwankwaso has played. Where were these critics when he was laying the foundation for what we are doing now?” he questioned.
Yusuf also expressed frustration with media reports suggesting that he had ignored multiple calls from Kwankwaso. “They said Kwankwaso called me more than 30 times, and I refused to answer. Where did they get this from?” Yusuf asked. “If not for my respect for journalists, I would have taken the person who wrote that to court. But I know, and Kwankwaso knows, that it’s all lies. There is no rift.”
Finally, he appealed to his supporters to reject divisive slogans, urging respect and unity within the party. “As of today, I don’t want to hear ‘stand on your own’ in Kano State or anywhere in Nigeria,” he said. “We were raised to respect elders, not to insult them.”
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