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TAX REFORM BILLS PASS SECOND READING IN SENATE AS HOUSE OF REPS GOES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Senate on Thursday passed for second reading the four controversial tax reform bills transmitted to it by President Bola Ahned Tinubu.
This followed a lead debate on the bills presented by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and debated by senators during plenary.
Recall that some top officials in Tinubu’s government yesterday appeared before the Senate where they made detailed presentations on the bills.
Northern governors, traditional rulers, and Northern Elders Forum had earlier rejected the bills, saying the proposed bills were not in the interest of the nation.
The Senate leadership on Wednesday resisted the opposition mounted by Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno) and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi) against allowing top officials of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government to defend the tax reform bills.
Before the government officials were given access to the chamber for their presentation, the Senate descended into a heated session.
The commotion began when the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti), moved to suspend Order 12 to allow the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy & Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, to address the chamber on the bills.
Bamidele argued that the officials were experts in the field, and the motion was seconded by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to allow the visitors in.
However, some senators opposed the motion, saying it was improper to allow such presentations during plenary.
The deliberation on the tax reform bills took some senators by surprise as it was not listed as part of the agenda for the day on the Order Paper.
Senator Ningi suggested that the matter should be referred to the Senate’s finance or appropriations committee for further discussions.
He argued that the rules only permit former presidents, former Speakers of the House of Representatives, and ex-senators to speak in the chambers.
Similarly, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) opposed the move, citing the Senate Rules which prohibit visitors from addressing the chamber on matters not included on the Order Paper.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Thursday went into a marathon executive session ahead of official commencement of the business of the day.
Our correspondent learnt that the executive session may not be unconnected with the Tax Reform Bills which have continued to generate push back from stakeholders from the North.
After executive session, rhe Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, said consultations on the tax reform bills would still continue.
He said this after the lawmakers emerged from a marathon executive session that lasted almost two hours to deliberate on the tax reform bills.
Kalu who chaired the executive session said, consultations and discussions would continue on the tax reform bills until Tuesday when some resource persons are expected to come and brief the House at a special session.
According to Kalu, members had robust discussions on the bills during the executive session.
The deputy speaker urged his colleagues to continue to consult their constituents on the bills through the weekend.
