Popular on-air personality, Rufai Oseni says Lagos State has always been the biggest beneficiary of any tax reform introduced by the federal government.

Oseni made the comment on Monday, December 2 following the controversy and backlash that has trailed President Bola Tinubu's tax reform bills.

During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umar Zulum alleged that only Lagos and Rivers states stand the chance of benefitting from the tax reform bills.

He noted his position was based on research and calculations by northern governors while advising President Tinubu to hold on before pushing the controversial bills.

However, reacting to the position of some political players, Rufai Oseni said: "The other argument that is a non-starter for me is that Lagos is going to benefit more but Lagos has always benefitted more in VAT prior to this time. Even with the current tax system that is not an argument. Areas that you have more consumption obviously will benefit more."

Zulum explained that if the bill scales through the National Assembly, states would be shortchanged as only Lagos State would be the main beneficiary of the policy.

In October, President Tinubu asked the National Assembly to assent to pass the bills into law.

The bills are the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 -SB.583; The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) BILL, 2024- SB.584; The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024-SB.585; and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 – SB.586.

On November 28, the tax reform bills passed a second reading in the Senate.