Southern Reps Members Support Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills

The tax reform bills that President Bola Tinubu presented to the National Assembly were praised by members of the House of Representatives from the 17 southern states, who said they were beneficial for the nation.
President Tinubu sent the four tax reform bills—Nigeria Tax, Nigeria Tax Administration, Nigeria Revenue Service, and Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bills, 2024—to the National Assembly’s two legislative houses for review and approval.
However, at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the Southern Caucus in the House, led by Hon. Nicholas Mutu (PDP, Delta), expressed its stance and praised the bills.

The group’s leader claims that the southern lawmakers enthusiastically embraced the tax reform bills while remaining receptive to discussion in an effort to include the opinions of the people that were not included in the proposed legislation.

“The Southern caucus of the House of Representatives, we have met and welcome the tax reform bills with so much excitement. And at the right time, we’ll capture the people’s element that is missing in the bills.

“Yes, the bills are good for Nigeria and are people-arranged bills. We are open to dialogue. We have not gone beyond that. We are not saying that we are supporting the bills. I didn’t say so. We are open to dialogue. This is just the first process. But just to inform you that we have received the bills, we welcome the bill, and then, we are open to dialogue,” Hon. Mutu said.

Adding his voice to supporting the bills, Hon. Fredrick Agbedi (PDP, Bayelsa) said it was the responsibility of the National Assembly to receive proposals of any sort of bill from either the executive or individual bills.

“Once they are received, they go through the House procedures, processes, and then the public is invited. Here, Mr. President has signed an executive bill.

“What the southern caucus is saying is that we are ready to take up our official responsibility of making laws for the nation. And so we welcome the bills and that as we process it, inputs are made from our various states and constituencies. Some states have already received those inputs.

“There’s nothing about being southern or northern divide. The National Assembly’s responsibility is to make laws for this country. And the essence of making laws is to receive proposals. When you receive proposals, you put them through the crucible processes of lawmaking.

“At the end of the day, amendments, innovations will be brought into that proposal. And it will be passed by both houses and then the president will assent to whatever amendments that are done to his proposal. The caucus is ready to run with the proposal that Mr President has sent,” he said.