Senators of the South East geopolitical zone, under the aegis of South East Senators’ Forum, have backed he demand by groups and stakeholders for wider consultations on the Tax Reform Bills before they are considered and possibly passed by the National Assembly
By Emma Ogbuehi
Senators of the South East geopolitical zone, under the aegis of South East Senators’ Forum, have backed he demand by groups and stakeholders for wider consultations on the Tax Reform Bills before they are considered and possibly passed by the National Assembly.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday after a closed-door meeting, leader of the caucus and Senator representing Abia South Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, clarified that South East senators are not opposed to the bills, but emphasize the need for broader consultations before full consideration by both chambers.
Abaribe stated, “While we are not against the Tax Reform Bills, we believe there should be wider consultations. We need to engage with our constituents across the 15 senatorial districts in the zone, as well as with state governments and other key stakeholders.”
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He further explained that the senators have reviewed the bills and wish to collaborate with stakeholders from the South East to ensure a more equitable framework is included before the bills are passed.
The five states in the South East geopolitical zone are Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
The Tax Reform Bills have sparked controversy since President Bola Tinubu forwarded them to the National Assembly for consideration. While the Presidency and the South South Senate caucus are calling for swift passage, other stakeholders, such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Northern Senators, have called for wider consultations.
President Tinubu, had on September 3, 2024, transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration following the recommendations of the Taiwo Oyedele-led Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms.
On October 29, 2024, the Northern Governors Forum, an umbrella body of the 19 governors of the region, kicked against the bill, particularly the Value Added Tax-sharing template. In one voice, the governors directed federal lawmakers from the zone to vote against the bills in both chambers of the National Assembly.
Two days later, the National Economic Council presided by Vice President Kashim Shettima advised the Federal Government to withdraw the bills to create room for broader consultations among critical stakeholders.
However, President Tinubu responded on October 31, 2024, stating that the bills should go through the legislative process, which would provide an opportunity for public hearings and input from concerned Nigerians.
In response, politicians from the North, including Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, insisted that the bills would further hurt the economic development of the region. “We condemn these bills sent to the National Assembly. They will drag the North backwards and also affect the South East, South West, and some South-Western states like Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo”, the governor was quoted to have said in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) interview.
24 federal lawmakers from Kano State also rejected the bills, as well as former Sokoto state governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal. Some other lawmakers, largely from the south supported the bill. But faced with stiff opposition especially from the North, the House of Representatives suspended indefinitely the debate on the bills earlier fixed for Tuesday, December 3, even when it had passed second reding in the Senate.
