National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has voiced his support for President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills, commending the president as a leader who demonstrates “unbridled courage, even at a personal cost.” Dogara made this statement during the 14th convocation and 17th foundation anniversary of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State.
Highlighting the need for bold leadership, Dogara stressed that transformative leaders must actively shape history rather than passively observing it. He linked the nation’s current challenges to a lack of decisive leadership in the past.
“With what President Bola Tinubu has done, whether it’s the freeing of local government areas from the chokehold of economic stagnation the states had subjected them to or the groundbreaking bold tax reform proposals he placed before the National Assembly, I see a glimmer of hope that we may be dealing with a leader who is prepared to lead with unbridled courage, even at personal cost,” Dogara remarked.
He further commended the president’s determination to tackle difficult reforms, urging critics to engage constructively rather than calling for the reforms’ abandonment. “I support the president’s tax reforms not because they are perfect, but because it is the right thing to do. However, I must concede the fact that those opposed to it have the right to do so, but I do not share their jaundiced, tenuous, and puerile position that because they disagree with some aspects of the reforms, the reforms must be withdrawn or killed,” he said.
Dogara encouraged critics to propose viable alternatives, enabling Nigerians to assess the reforms critically. He also emphasized the role of education in driving solutions to economic issues, urging universities to become centers of innovation and collaboration with industries and government for real-world impact.
As a leader in both politics and academia, Dogara’s remarks call for decisive action, innovation, and collaboration to address Nigeria’s economic challenges and achieve sustainable progress.
