akpabio senate tax reform bills

[Candidforum]

Contrary to the Senate’s decision on Wednesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said yesterday that further legislative action on the four controversial tax reform bills has neither been suspended nor withdrawn.

Recall that Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary on Wednesday, had said the lawmakers suspended public hearing and legislative work on the bills to allow for wider consultations.

He raised a 10-man committee, led by Senator Abba Moro, to engage with the Attorney General of the Federation AGF, and Justice Minister, Lateef Fagbemi, to address contentious issues in the bills.

However, the Akpabio-led Senate reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the Tax Reform Bills, yesterday, stressing that no aspect of the legislative process had been suspended or withdrawn.

This came on a day senators from the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, under the aegis of South- South Senators’ Forum, threw their weight behind the tax reform bills, passed a vote confidence in Akpabio; and urged South-South governors to synergise with lawmakers to fine tune the bills and to be on the same page.

Meanwhile, the Senate has tinkered with the membership of the 10- man committee by removing the name of the Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno, as a member.

The leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, removed Monguno from the committee and replaced him with Senator Shehu Kaka.

Monguno’s Borno counterpart, Senator Ali Ndume and Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno have been in the fore-front of the opposition to the bills.

Also Vice President Kashim Shettima, who also hails from Borno, chaired the National Economic Council, NEC, that advised the Presidency to suspend actions on the bills for wider consultations.