Northerners Will Not Pay Tinubu’s Tax” — Kaduna Cleric Sheikh Abubakar Alkali Sparks Nationwide Debate
A fresh wave of controversy has hit Nigeria’s political and economic space following viral statements attributed to Kaduna-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Alkali Zaria , who reportedly vowed that northerners will not pay President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms when they take effect on January 1, 2026 . The remarks, captured in a circulating video, have triggered heated reactions across social media and raised serious questions about public compliance, governance, and national unity. According to multiple Nigerian news reports, Sheikh Abubakar Alkali criticized the federal government’s tax reforms, describing them as unacceptable to northerners . In the viral clip, the cleric was quoted as saying northerners were “waiting to see who would come and force them to pay the taxes.” He also reportedly warned that northern lawmakers who supported the tax reforms would face consequences when they returned to their constituencies — a statement that has drawn sharp cri...