President Tinubu's Tax Reform Bill Dead On Arrival -------former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume

Former Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume,  APC:Borno South, says that the tax reform bill submitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu is dead on arrival.
Ndume, who was removed as Chief Whip on July 17, over allegations of party disloyalty and critical comments spoke in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Tuesday, adding that Northern leaders were totally against the tax bill because because it was anti- north.
According to Ndume, Tinubu was supposed to reform governance and not to impose additional taxes on Nigerians.
He then, asked the president to listen to the advice of the Northern Governors’ Forum, NGF, by immediately withdrawing the bills.
His words, “Our people are saying they don’t want the VAT bill, they don’t even want to hear about it. That is why we are going to make it dead on arrival. President Tinubu should heed the advice of the National Economic Council, NEC, and the Northern Governors’ Forum and withdraw the bills immediately.
“Nigerians are willing to pay taxes but only when they can afford it. Right now, people are struggling to survive. Let people live first before you start asking them for taxes.
“What he (Tinubu) needs to do is to withdraw the bill; then go back to our people, educate and make us understand. We are representing the people, and they have already made their stance clear.
“The governors and traditional rulers have said that the bill is not good. So, the best course of action is to withdraw it immediately."
Ndume further stressed that, it would be fair to shut the bill down, pointing out, that he had started rallying support among colleagues to reject the bills.
On Wednesday, July 17,  2024, the All Progressives Congress, APC, caucus of the Senate removed Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate and replaced him with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC:Borno North). 
Ndume’s removal followed allegations of party disloyalty and critical comments  made against President Tinubu and his administration.  A letter requesting his removal was jointly signed by the National Chairman of the party and former governor of Kano State, Umar Ganduje and National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola and read on the floor of the chamber by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. The party leaders further urged Ndume to resign from the party and join either the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, or any other opposition party, even as the request for his removal was put to voice votes and approved by APC senators.

Senator Ndume was also removed from his deputy chairmanship position of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, and made Chairman of Committee on Tourism, which he has rejected, citing lack of experience over the committee’s mandate. An attempt was even made via motion, for him to face the Senate Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics and Privileges, but this was rejected.