Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the National Assembly to review and disclose the National Economic Council’s resolutions on the Tax Reform Bills.
The bills, which have sparked significant debate since being submitted by President Bola Tinubu, recently passed their second reading in the Senate.
In a post on his X handle on Sunday, Atiku emphasized that the National Assembly must carefully consider the bills to ensure their provisions ultimately serve the best interests of the majority of Nigerians.
“I call on the NASS to revisit and make public the resolutions of the National Economic Council, a key stakeholder and an important organ of the state with the constitutional power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation. The NASS must be appropriately guided and ensure that in the final analysis, the contents of the Bills align with the interests of the vast majority of Nigerians,” the post read in part.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, who said he has followed the intense public discourse on the Tax Reform Bills with keen interest, noted that Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity.
According to him, Nigerians are “loud and clear that the fiscal system we seek to promote must not exacerbate the uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states while unduly penalising others.”
He also called on the House of Representatives to be objective and transparent in the conduct of its public hearing on the Tax Reform Bills.
“I call for objectivity and transparency in the conduct of the public hearing being organised by our representatives in the National Assembly. As a concerned stakeholder, I firmly believe that transparency and objectivity are essential for promoting accountability, good governance, and public trust in policy-making.
“The public hearing process must facilitate open and inclusive participation by all stakeholders, including Civil Society Organizations, traditional institutions, politicians, public officials, and subject matter experts.”
NEC calls for withdrawal
The National Economic Council (NEC) had recommended that President Bola Tinubu withdraw the Tax Reform Bills due to the controversies surrounding their introduction.
The bills, based on the report and recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms, were designed to enhance revenue generation in the country. However, NEC unanimously advocated for their withdrawal, emphasizing the need for better alignment among stakeholders regarding the proposed reforms.
President Tinubu, however, refused to withdraw the bills, stating that they should instead proceed through the legislative process in the National Assembly.
‘Suspicious rush to pass bill’
One of the strongest figures opposed to the Tax Reform Bills is Senator Ali Ndume, who has continuously called for its withdrawal.
Following the passage of the bills for second reading at the Senate last week, Ndume wondered why there is a rush to pass the bills. He urged President Tinubu to take NEC’s advice to withdraw the bills.
“It is not that I am totally saying that we should throw away the baby with the bath water, but since the governors who are our leaders, the National Economic Council and many individuals have said that it is not that we should throw away the bills, no. Withdraw the bill, do more consultations and then bring the bill again. Why are they in a hurry? That is a big suspicion, Ndume said.