FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the National Assembly to revisit and make public the resolutions of the National Economic Council (NEC) in its deliberations on the Tax Reform Bills.
In a statement on X, on Sunday, December 1, Abubakar said the council, a constitutionally empowered advisory body on economic affairs, has a critical role in shaping policies that promote fairness and equity in Nigeria’s fiscal system.
He argued that NEC’s input was essential for addressing concerns about uneven development among the country’s federating units.
“In this wise, I call on the NASS to revisit and make public the resolutions of the National Economic Council, a key stakeholder and an important organ of the State with the constitutional power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the federation.
“The NASS must be appropriately guided and ensure that in the final analysis, the contents of the bills align with the interests of the vast majority of Nigerians,” he wrote.
The former People’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate further called on the National Assembly to ensure that the ongoing deliberations on the Tax Reform Bills reflect the interests of the majority of Nigerians.
While emphasising the need for transparency, inclusivity, and objectivity in the process, he urged lawmakers to avoid measures that could deepen regional disparities.
This came as the Senate on Thursday, November 28, passed the Tax Reform Bills for a second reading amidst controversies.
The Senate’s Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, defended the bills during the debate, describing them as a necessary step to modernise the tax landscape, support small businesses, and streamline revenue collection.
The Bills, submitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly on October 3, have sparked intense debate in the National Assembly, with many Nigerian lawmakers, particularly from the North voicing fears that they could exacerbate the economic disparities between resource-rich and less-endowed states.
The four proposed laws—the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill—aim to overhaul the country’s fiscal framework, simplify tax collection, and reduce disputes.
While proponents argue that the reforms will strengthen Nigeria’s fiscal institutions and align with the administration’s broader development goals, critics, including some northern governors and lawmakers, caution against provisions they believe could unfairly favour resource-rich states over others.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M