The southeast caucus of the Senate on Monday, December 9, supported the Tax Reform Bills before both chambers of the National Assembly.
He said senators from the southeast zone would consult widely to get the input of their constituents and critical stakeholders in the towards the consideration and passage of the Bills.
The leader of the southeast caucus in the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia South), disclosed this to reporters after a closed door meeting of the caucus held in his office in Abuja.
Abaribe, during the media briefing, said Senators from the southeast, are not against the bills but want wider consultation to be carried out on them before they are considered by both chambers of the National Assembly.
“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 them.
“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 a 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 comprise the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill 2024, Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 and the 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.
While 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, Northern Senators, Arewa Consultative Forum etc, are seeking wider consultations on Bills.
The Nation
