On Monday, December 9, the Southeast caucus of the Nigerian Senate expressed its support for the ongoing Tax Reform Bills currently before both chambers of the National Assembly.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia South), leader of the Southeast caucus, clarified that the senators from the region do not oppose the bills but emphasized the need for wider consultation with their constituents and key stakeholders.
This, he said, would ensure the bills are thoroughly considered before they are passed.
Abaribe made the statement during a media briefing following a closed-door meeting of the caucus in his office in Abuja.
He highlighted that the senators from the Southeast are committed to engaging in meaningful discussions to make sure the reforms align with the interests of the people they represent.
“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.
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