{
  "id": 325730,
  "title": "Why I criticised Tinubu’s tax reform openly — Nasarawa gov",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/why-i-criticised-tinubus-tax-reform-openly-nasarawa-gov",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-08T23:12:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/why-i-criticised-tinubus-tax-reform-openly-nasarawa-gov/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, openly criticized the initial Value Added Tax component of President Bola Tinubu's tax reform in January 2025, warning that the proposed increase at a time of high inflation would have harmed ordinary Nigerians. Sule made the remarks during a visit to the President's office at the Nasarawa State Government House in Lafia, as part of a nationwide inspection of federal and state infrastructure projects. The governor stated that when the President was misled about the tax reforms, he publicly criticized the matter, urging the President to meet with Zacch Adedeji and the current Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele. Sule acknowledged that the President had listened to his concerns and agreed to revise the changes to the Tax Bill. He explained that the adjustments were made due to the inflationary environment at the time, with VAT set to be 10% in January 2025 and an inflation rate of about 30% at that time. Today, the inflation rate has dropped to single-digit numbers, making the increased VAT more feasible. Sule emphasized that the changes were positive and had resulted in increased funding for states, which has benefited both the federal and state governments.",
  "summary": "Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule openly criticised President Tinubu’s initial tax reform, warning of inflation impact. He explains why he spoke out. Read More: https://punchng.com/why-i-criticised-tinubus-tax-reform-openly-nasarawa-gov/",
  "key_points": [
    "Nasarawa State Governor criticized Tinubu's initial VAT reform in January 2025.",
    "Governor warned the reform would harm Nigerians amid high inflation.",
    "Governor's concerns led to VAT revision to 10% in January 2025."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The governor's intervention and the subsequent revision of the Tax Bill reflect a responsive leadership that prioritizes the welfare of ordinary citizens amid economic challenges.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Tinubu’s reforms drove Nasarawa allocation up 300% to N16bn, says gov",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/tinubus-reforms-drove-nasarawa-allocation-up-300-to-n16bn-says-gov",
        "published": "2026-08-08T22:49:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}