ABUJA – The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has strongly opposed the controversial Tax Reform Bill, describing it as a threat to national unity and regional stability.

The Forum, during its Second Bi-Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees in Abuja, criticized the bill’s lack of inclusivity and alleged it was conceived in bad faith.

The group also condemned the silence of Northern politicians in the National Assembly on the matter, warning against future compromises on the region’s strategic interests.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, signed by NEF Convener, Professor Ango Abdullahi, the Forum expressed concerns over the bill’s imposition without consultation with critical stakeholders, including members of the National Economic Council.

It accused proponents of the bill of harboring sinister intentions and emphasized the need for Northern leaders to prioritize the region’s welfare.

The Forum also raised alarm over the deteriorating state of education in Northern Nigeria, noting that about 60% of students in the region have been forced to abandon higher education due to skyrocketing tuition fees and transportation costs.

It expressed skepticism about the Federal Students Loan Scheme’s ability to address the crisis, given the growing number of out-of-school children, now estimated at 20 million nationwide, with over 80% from the North.

The Board further criticized the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals for allegedly colluding with political actors to stifle the North’s mineral resource development.

It also decried the arrogance of some Northern political leaders who prioritize self-interest over the plight of their people.

The communique called for Northern unity, urging citizens to protect their voting rights and resist manipulation by individuals lacking integrity and accountability. It emphasized the need to defend the region’s interests while fostering national cohesion.

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The communique reads, “The Tax Reform Bill is conceived in bad faith, poorly packaged and it is a palpable threat to our unity and national cohesion.

“The brazen cavalier way and suspicious manner in which the Tax Reform Bill was imposed on the nation; confirming the sinister intentions of those promoting this outrageous Bill.

“The days are fast gone, when such conspiratorial connivance against the vital and strategic interest of the region, either by those within or outside the region, would be condoned or even tolerated.

“The Board-in-session was alarmed by the high percentage, now about 60%, of students in Northern Nigeria, who involuntarily were not able to return to their institutions of higher learning.

“The Board-in-session expressed serious doubt on the viability and efficacy of the much-touted Federal Students Loan Scheme as a panacea to this malignant malady.

“The Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals; sponsoring dubious mining policies in collusion with certain political actors, with the sole aim of stifling the investment opportunities of the huge mineral resource potentials linked to the vast Northern region.

“Some powerful political actors in the region behave arrogantly and disdainfully like rulers rather than leaders fully committed to the plight of their people.

“The people of the North must stay resolute and remain vigilant in defence of their inalienable rights, particularly their voting rights.

“The entire people of the North must continue to jealously guard their cherished unity and resist all attempts and unpatriotic plans by incorrigible adversaries to divide their rank.”