The presidency urges Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed to retract his inflammatory remarks against President Bola Tinubu over the proposed tax reform bills. The president’s media adviser criticized the governor’s threats and called for constructive dialogue to address national challenges like poverty, security, and economic growth.
The presidency has called on Bala Mohammed, the Governor of Bauchi State, to retract his recent comments regarding the proposed tax reform bills, which he criticized as being one-sided and threatening anarchy. Mohammed, who also heads the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, warned that the reforms could provoke a backlash if passed.
In a statement released on Monday, Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, condemned Mohammed’s remarks as inflammatory and said they amounted to direct threats against the federal government. Dare further noted that such comments were not conducive to the constructive dialogue needed between state and federal governments.
The statement emphasized that Mohammed’s view did not reflect the collective stance of Northern Nigeria and instead urged the governor to focus on addressing the poverty and developmental challenges in Bauchi State. Dare pointed out that the state had received substantial federal allocations under the current administration — a total of N144 billion — yet still faced significant development challenges.
Dare encouraged political leaders to prioritize national unity and work collaboratively to address the country’s pressing challenges, including poverty, security, and economic development. He also highlighted that the proposed tax reforms, alongside increased federal allocations, held the potential for positive outcomes for all states in the country. The presidency called for a shift away from divisive rhetoric toward productive dialogue that benefits the nation as a whole.
