By Abdulateeef Bamgbose, Abuja
South East Caucus in the Senate yesterday, joined groups of stakeholders in the polity , calling for wider consultations on the Tax Reform Bills pending for consideration and possible passage by both Chambers of the National Assembly .
The leader of the caucus , Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( APGA Abia South), stated this to newsmen after a closed-door meeting of Senators from the entire five South – Eastern States held in his office .
Abaribe briefing the media , said Senators from the South East are not against the bills but want wider consultations to be carried out before full consideration at both chambers .
” As much as the entire Senators from South East are not against the Tax Reform Bills before both chambers of the National Assembly for consideration , we want wider consultations to be carried out on the bills .
“Specifically , we need to consult with our constituents across the 15 Senatorial Districts in the Zone , with our state governments and other critical stakeholders .
” We have read through the bills and want to share our knowledge with other stakeholders from the South East Zone for much more equitable framework in the bills that would eventually be passed.
” We are not against the bills but need to consult with our people “, he stressed
Recall that the Tax Reforms bills which entails Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill 2024 , Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 and Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024; have generated controversies in the polity since October 3, 2024 , when President Bola Tinubu , forwarded them to both the Senate and the House of Representatives for consideration .
Meanwhile the Presidency , the South – South caucus in the Senate are calling for immediate consideration of the bills , other stakeholders in the polity ,like the Nigerian Governors’ forum , the Northern Senators , Arewa Consultative forum etc , want wider consultations.
It would be recalled that Senators from northern part of Nigeria were divided over the speedy passage of the bills to second reading. Senators like Ali Ndume, and Sen Abdul Ningi were first to voice their reservations and were recently joined by the likes of Sen Aminu Tambuwal , senators from Borno and that of Nasarawa States. Fillers have it that even the Deputy Senate president, JIbrin Barau has Nicodemusly joined those asking for wider consultations after presiding over a controversial plenary that stirred up the hornet nest , a situation he poorly managed by shooting down a senior colleague senator Ali Ndume but he received a serious backlash from his people of the North.
AljazirahNigeria reports that, the South East Senators are not opting out of the tax reform bills but want wider consultations across the length and breathe of the East and Sen. Abaribe closed the Press briefing by saying “… the bills that must be passed after all”.
