The Nigerian Senate has found itself in a contradictory situation regarding the tax reform bills forwarded by President Bola Tinubu.
On Wednesday, the Senate announced that it had suspended further legislative actions on the bills, but Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has refuted this claim, stating that the bills are still alive and in progress.
According to Bamidele, the Senate had merely set up a committee to engage with the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to address contentious provisions in the bills.
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He described reports of the bills’ suspension as an attempt to intimidate the legislature and asserted that the Senate remains steadfast in its legislative duties.
“We have not suspended or withdrawn deliberations on the tax reform bills. Any attempt to intimidate the Senate is undemocratic.
These bills are executive communications, and only the executive arm can withdraw them. We remain steadfast in our legislative responsibilities,” Bamidele said.
However, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, had earlier announced that the Senate had suspended further actions on the bills, citing the need to resolve contentious issues.
“It is on this note that the committee on finance that the bills have been referred to, should put on hold further action on it – public hearing and other issues until we resolve these issues,” Jibrin said.
Meanwhile, President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has expressed support for the tax reform bills, thanking the Committee Chairman, Senator Abba Moro, for commencing consultations on the bills.
“The bills are live, have not been suspended, the actions have not been suspended, the bills have not been withdrawn, and the bills have passed second reading in the Senate and further legislative actions are taking place,” Akpabio said.
The controversy surrounding the tax reform bills has sparked debate, with some stakeholders calling for wider consultation and others supporting the bills as a necessary measure to address the country’s economic challenges.