– Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has voiced strong criticisms regarding tax collection practices and economic disparities, accusing Lagos State of imposing taxes on Kano and other northern regions.
Speaking at the convocation of Skyline University, Kwankwaso highlighted the efforts of Lagos officials to redirect taxes from Kano to Lagos.
“Today, we are aware that the Lagos young men are working so hard to impose taxes and take away our taxes from Kano and this part of the country to Lagos,” Kwankwaso stated during his address at the university convocation.
He further elaborated on the issue, saying, “Even the telephones that we make or register here in Kano, efforts are there to take all the taxes to Lagos. Even our sons and daughters who have brought factories, many of them here in Kano and northern Nigeria, and even banks, somehow, they are forced to take their headquarters to Lagos because taxes will now have to go to Lagos.”
Kwankwaso also addressed the growing disparity between the rich and the poor, expressing concern over the widening economic gap. “We have seen the efforts of some people to make the poor poorer and the rich richer, and I believe this is more dangerous,” he remarked.
He called on National Assembly members to remain vigilant and protect the interests of northern Nigeria. “At this moment, I would like to call all our National Assembly members to keep their eyes open so that they don’t do anything that would cheat the people of northern Nigeria, especially here in Kano,” Kwankwaso urged.
Reflecting on past events, Kwankwaso recalled the first term from 1999 to 2000, where he alleged that members of the National Assembly were bribed to support offshore policies. “We are witnesses to what happened during the first term, 1999 to 2000, where our members of the National Assembly were bribed, were treated into collecting huge sums of money to support offshore in this country,” he said.
Kwankwaso emphasized the negative impact of such policies on the economy, stating, “That law put a huge blow into our economy, not only here in northern Nigeria but in all other states.”
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso contested the 2023 general elections on the platform of New Nigeria Peoples party and his party won the most populous state in Nigeria where its currently the ruling party in the state.
