Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on lawmakers to prioritise equity and inclusivity in their deliberations on President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills.
He emphasised that Nigerians are united in their demand for reforms that do not worsen the nation’s uneven development.
Atiku made this appeal on Sunday through a post on his official X handle.
The four tax reform bills passed second reading at the Senate on Thursday and were subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Niger East Senator Sani Musa, for further legislative scrutiny, including a public hearing.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, directed the committee to engage the National Economic Council, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and Civil Society Organisations during the public hearing.
The proposed bills are as follows:
1. The Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.583)
2. The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.584)
3. The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024 (SB.585)
4. The Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 (SB.586)
Some Nigerians have criticised the bills, alleging that their provisions favour certain regions at the expense of others. However, proponents argue that many critics have not reviewed the bills in detail and are instead amplifying misinformation propagated by interest groups.
In his statement, Atiku did not explicitly state his position on the bills but stressed the need for lawmakers to adhere to due process. “I have followed the intense public discourse on the Tax Reform Bills with keen interest,” he wrote.
“Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity. They 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.”
Transparent Public Hearing
The National Assembly’s rules mandate public hearings for significant legislative actions. Atiku underscored the importance of ensuring these hearings are transparent and inclusive.
“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,” he added.
Atiku also urged the National Assembly to disclose the resolutions of the National Economic Council on the bills. “In this wise, 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.”
Legislative Progress and Next Steps
While the bills have cleared the second reading in the Senate and been referred to the Finance Committee, they are yet to reach the same stage in the House of Representatives. It remains unclear whether the two chambers will hold separate or joint public hearings on the bills, as no date has been announced.
Following the public hearings, the respective committees will present their resolutions and recommendations to the Senate and the House for consideration. The lawmakers will make a final decision on the bills during the Committee of the Whole, where individual clauses will be debated and voted on.
