THE House of Representatives party caucuses will meet on Saturday to deliberate on the four tax reform bills transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu in September 2024.
Similarly, state causes will meet on the same subject matter on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s resumption of plenary by the legislative chamber.
The Deputy spokesman for the House, Mr Philip Agbese disclosed these in interview with this newspaper in Abuja.
Recall that on September 3, 2024, the President transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration following the recommendations of the Taiwo Oyedele-led Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms.
The bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which is expected to provide the fiscal framework for taxation in the country, and the Tax Administration Bill, which will give a clear and concise legal framework for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes.
Others are the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, which will repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service; and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which will create a tax tribunal and a tax ombudsman.
However, the bills have met stiff opposition from the 36 state governors who called for their withdrawal to allow room for more consultation.
On Thursday, November 28, the House went into an executive session that lasted for over two hours.
On resumption of the plenary same day, the bills were not discussed as the subject matter was not listed on Thursday’s Order Paper.
Speaking in Abuja, Agbese noted the meetings of the party and state causes would equip lawmakers elected on different party platforms and who hail from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, with sufficient insights into the proposed reforms ahead of Tuesday’s plenary.
He said, “The 10th House is made up of lawmakers elected on the platform of eight political parties. On Saturday (today), the party caucuses in the House will meet to continue with the deliberations on these bills.
“On Monday, December 2, 2024, it will be the turn of the state caucuses in the House. They will meet and analyse issues as they relate to the four executive bills before the parliament for consideration.
“The reason for these meetings is to enable members to gain more insight, so that by the time we convene for plenary on Tuesday next week, members will be more informed. They will be better placed to contribute from a position of knowledge.”
Dismissing insinuations that the tax bills have pitched lawmakers of the ruling party against their opposition counterparts, Agbese stated that the position of legislators was not informed by party leanings.
He continued, “We have supporters of the bills in the APC and those opposed to the bills in the APC. We have supporters and those against the bills in other parties as well. Support and opposition to the bills have no political colouration.
“The bills are about the economy of the nation. Truth be told, there are fears here and there and that is why the House has chosen to stay on the path of continuous consultation and consensus building. I am very sure that in the end, we’ll pass the bills.”
Agbese added that a lot of lawmakers initially opposed to the bills had become favorably disposed because of “the enlightenment.”
He said, “I can tell you that more than half of the 40 per cent of lawmakers who were not in support of these bills initially have crossed over to the other side. They are now more informed. The enlightenment ocassioned by the session we had with tax experts two weeks ago helped very well in this regard.”
Meanwhile, a prominent opposition member of the House, Mr Oluwole Oke, has urged his colleagues to support the passage of the bills through second reading.
Speaking exclusively with our correspondent on Friday, Oke, who represents Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, said the passage of the bills through second reading would afford Nigerians to make their input and enrich the discourse during public hearing.
The Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker said, “I appeal to my colleagues to allow the bills scale through second reading and let’s subject them thereafter to scrutiny at a public hearing.
“We need to listen to Nigerians that sent us to represent them. I have gone through the bills and I can say honestly that they are in the interest of our nation. I am for the bills.”
He emphasised the importance of building consensus.
“When you design a tax system, you must take the people who will operate the system into consideration,” he added.
The bills are expected to dominate debate on the floor of the House when it resumes plenary on Tuesday.