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Bala Mohammed Launches Attack on Tinubu to Advance 2027 Presidential Ambitions, Says Minister Tuggar

Published by Tope Fakinlede on January 27th, 2025.

Bala Mohammed Launches Attack on Tinubu to Advance 2027 Presidential Ambitions, Says Minister Tuggar

Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has accused Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed of using his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms as a stepping stone for his 2027 presidential aspirations. Tuggar made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics program.

According to Tuggar, Governor Mohammed’s criticism of President Tinubu lacks sincerity. He pointed out that while other governors raised valid concerns about the tax reforms, Mohammed used the issue to prematurely promote his presidential ambitions.

“The governor’s approach shows a lack of genuine intent,” Tuggar said, adding that Mohammed’s comments were more focused on attacking the president than on constructive criticism of the policy.

Tuggar also noted that Governor Mohammed has been seeking a meeting with Tinubu after his harsh words regarding the tax reforms. The governor had previously told a Christian community in Bauchi on Boxing Day that the tax policy could lead to chaos, especially in the northern region, and urged the president to reconsider the reforms. He argued that the policy could burden northern states, making it difficult for them to pay salaries, and warned of potential unrest if the policy continued.

In response, the Presidency condemned Mohammed’s remarks as a threat and stated that his views were not representative of the northern region as a whole.

Meanwhile, on January 16, Nigerian governors expressed their support for the federal government’s tax reforms, although they proposed a new value-added tax (VAT) sharing formula. This stance followed discussions at a meeting between the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, where the governors reiterated their backing for the reform of Nigeria’s outdated tax system.