In a bid to safeguard Nigeria’s economic trajectory, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has cautioned Nigerians against politicising the recently proposed tax reform bills. TUC President Festus Osifo issued the warning during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

Osifo expressed concerns over the divisive discourse surrounding the bills, emphasizing the need to separate governancegovernance from tribal or political sentiments. “At this stage of our development, we should be wary. We shouldn’t politicise everything. Bringing in tribal talks or ethnicity, I don’t think this is right,” he stated.

He acknowledged that it is natural for the reform bills to spark concerns but insisted that such issues should be addressed constructively. “Those undertones are clearly there. It started from the Northern Governors Forum; it metamorphosed into the General Governors’ Forum; and it went into the National Economic Council,” he explained, alluding to the layers of dialogue already involved in the bills’ deliberation.

The tax reform bills have stirred tension between the Federal Government and some state governors since President Bola Tinubu presented them to the National Assembly on October 3. These bills, aimed at restructuring Nigeria’s revenue generation and administration, have led to calls for their withdrawal to allow further consultations. Governors have argued that insufficient dialogue risks alienating certain stakeholders, thereby exacerbating existing divisions.

The proposed reforms consist of four bills:

Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024-SB.583

Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024-SB.584

Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024-SB.585

Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024-SB.586

The bills are designed to streamline the nation’s tax system and enhance revenue collection but have also triggered debates over federal and state fiscal relationships.