By Abbati Bako,bsis,Kent-Uni the UK’s Europeans University
In early October 2024, President Bola Tinubu transmitted the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024 to the National Assembly.The bill as claimed by the government is expected to reshape Nigeria’s fiscal framework and establish a comprehensive legal framework governing taxation of incomes, transactions, and instruments.
The bill is entitled, “An Act to Repeal Certain Acts on Taxation and Consolidate the Legal Frameworks Relating to Taxation and Enact the Nigeria Tax Act to Provide for Taxation of Income, Transactions and Instruments, and for Related Matters.” Meaning, that the system will benefit the country in the near future. Like fuel subsidy removal in May 2023 as claimed by the President Bola Tunubu that the system will benefit Nigeria’s economy but rather the system crushes Nigeria’s economic interplay to date.
The most important question one may ask, can we call His Excellency President Bola Tunubu an experienced politician for the past 30 years especially in the global stand? It’s true as mentioned by the global expert in political science, Professor Albena Azmanova that “politics is an elitist game”. But in Nigeria the entire Northern elites criticized the tax reform system and again, the Economic Advisory Body established by the Federal Government as well as the 19 Northern Governors did the same thing but the Federal Government still insisted that there is no going back. Hence, the Federal Government must step back and rethink on the issue. This writing opinionated that the Presidency must act as people want, ASAP.
Since its transmission, the bill has sparked significant controversies and protests among Nigerians. Governors and traditional rulers of Northern Nigerian states unanimously resolved to reject the bill. They said the contents of the proposed tax bill do not align with the interests of the North and other sub-national entities.
There has been no argument from the side of the government that only Lagos, Rivers and Ogun States will benefit from the reform. But why did the Federal Government fail to contradict the Northern elites’ claims constructively for people to understand?
We campaigned for President Ahmed Bola Tunubu to be the President of Nigeria in 2023 to 2027. And we told the nation that President Tunubu will do his best and use his experience to develop Nigeria’s economic growth and development. Meaning that, Nigeria will be out of economic precarity, aridity and hardship before the year 2027.
Unfortunately, 18 months later, stagflation quadrupled after the handover power to H/E Bola Ahmed Tunubu. Not knowing the fact that many economic emerging markets tried the system but failed.
In global Southern hemisphere, many countries like Brazil, South Africa, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Mexico, Turkey and almost all 30 global economic Emerging Nations have had contact with World Bank and IMF for advice; but not to strictly follow their directives on their 10 prescription designed by New York Consultant Professor John Williamson.
Those countries that followed their prescription failed in their countries and lost political popularity. It seems that any leader around the world that agreed to follow their prescription will certainly create inflation, security challenges and economic precarity. The Vice President of the Bank came to Nigeria and claimed that it will take the country 10 to 15 years to normalize the economy. And again, JP Morgan predicted that Nigeria will be among the 5 best economies in the world by the year 2075. Who and who will be there then?
*What is the meaning of political democracy?
The system was created as far back as 508 BC in Athens, the capital of Greece. Since then the system has been on and made several nations developed and prosperous. There have been about 57 key elements and principles of the game. Political strategy is one of the branches of the system (Political science) also, political communication and information are imperative parts of the system. Without communication and information the system will be doomed. It’s imperative for our key political parties to establish political democratic institutions like they did in other democratic societies.
In political strategy subject; politics is a game based on three key elements and principles:
1. Competing values
2. Interests
3. Ambitions.
Also, it is a game between vision and practicality. And again is a game of representation by the various interest groups from different constituents and above all the interest of both internal and external stakeholders.
Meaning, that whatever happens as a result of the current global direction of “Globalization Policy” is the prime mover of the current global political, economic and social activities. Meaning that, the system is a bandwagon for all over the world to follow, especially democratic nations.
In this respect the most important point of any citizen or society in the world is to elect who will represent him in the corridor of power and his representative should do the work of what that society wants. That’s the meaning of democracy; in both advanced and less advanced democracies. Meaning that, the work of the people is to elect their representatives and the work of their representatives is to do what the people want, pure and simple.
*The analysis of the situation and the meaning:
Competing values
Interests
Ambitions
To be continued Insha’Allah
Dr. Abbati Bako,Political Strategy and Communication Consultant@IPRC Nigeria
