Atiku Calls for Transparency in Tinubu's Tax Reform Bill Debate

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last election, has urged lawmakers to ensure transparency in the public hearing process for President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills.

Atiku shared his views on his official X account on Sunday, emphasizing the importance of fairness and inclusivity in discussions surrounding the bills.

On Thursday, the Senate passed the four tax reform bills for a second reading and referred them to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa of Niger East, for further examination, including holding a public hearing. Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the committee to involve key stakeholders such as the National Economic Council (NEC), the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), and Civil Society Organizations in the public hearing.

The bills in question include the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.583), the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.584), the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024 (SB.585), and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 (SB.586).

While some Nigerians have criticized the bills, alleging they favor certain regions over others, supporters argue that most critics have not read the bills and are misinformed.

Atiku, while not explicitly stating his stance on the bills, highlighted the need for due process. “I have followed the intense public discourse on the Tax Reform Bills with keen interest,” he wrote. “Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity. They are loud and clear that the fiscal system we seek to promote must not exacerbate the uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states while unduly penalising others.”

Additionally, he called on the National Assembly to make the resolutions of the National Economic Council (NEC) on the bills publicly available, saying, “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.”

The Senate and House of Representatives have not yet set a date for the public hearings. While the Senate has referred the bills to the appropriate committee, the House of Representatives has yet to pass the bills for a second reading. Both chambers may conduct separate or joint hearings before reaching a final decision.

Once the hearings are concluded, the committees will submit their findings and recommendations for approval before the lawmakers debate the individual clauses of the bills at the Committee of the Whole.