BREAKING: 15 Governors Meet in Abuja over Tinubu’s Tax Bill, Details Emerge

• Fifteen APC governors, Governor Alex Otti of Abia state (Labour Party) and Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra state (APGA) on Wednesday night, convened a meeting in Abuja to discuss key issues
• Legit.ng understands that the governors have been under intense pressure regarding the tax reform bills presented by President Tinubu to the National Assembly
• The agenda of the meeting has not been made public but the 19 governors in northern Nigeria have also unequivocally rejected sections of the bills and called for the withdrawal

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

FCT, Abuja - Fifteen governors under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) are currently holding an in-person meeting at the Forum’s Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday night.

APC govs, Soludo, Alex Otti meet in Abuja

As of the time of filling this report, the governors, mainly of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were present at the ongoing meeting.

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Tax bill: FG speaks as fears over possible misuse of VAT funds by govs grow amid north's opposition

Channels TV reported that Governor Alex Otti of Abia state elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) and his Anambra state counterpart, Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), were the only opposition governors in attendance.

Agenda of the meeting

The agenda of the meeting was not made available to journalists as of press time but the governors have, for weeks, been confronted with the tax reform bills presented by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly.

Northern govs opposition over Tinubu's tax reform bills

The new tax bills introduced by the Tinubu administration have been enveloped in widespread controversy and sparked scathing criticisms and stiff opposition from many including the 36 state governors under the aegis of the National Economic Council (NEC).

Legit.ng reported that the northern governors openly rejected Tinubu's new tax reform bills, describing them as unfavourable to northern states and some southern states and called for the withdrawal of the bills from the National Assembly.

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Tax bills: PDP chieftain Sowunmi mentions Tinubu's biggest mistake amid northern opposition

Read more about the tax reform bills

• Tax bill: FG speaks as fears over possible misuse of VAT funds by govs grow amid north's opposition
• Lawmaker suggests Hausa translation for tax reform bills
• Reform bills: Labour demands review of tax exemption limit for workers from Tinubu

Tax bills: Sowunmi blames Tinubu for northern opposition

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that PDP chieftain Segun Sowunmi expressed concern over the four tax bills presented to the National Assembly.

Sowunmi blamed President Tinubu for the current pushback the bills have been getting and stated the major reason for stiff opposition from the northern region.

Legit.ng reported that the northern governors opposed the tax reform bills, noting that the proposed legislation would disadvantage northern states and other less industrialized regions.

Source: Legit.ng