Atiku Urges National Assembly to Prioritize Nigerians Interests in Tax Reform Bills
Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice president and 2023 presidential candidate for PDP, has called on the National Assembly to ensure that the proposed tax reform bills align with the interests of Nigerians as they move toward final approval. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, December 1, Abubakar emphasized the importance of an open and inclusive public hearing process that includes all stakeholders.
The Senate recently passed the four tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu, advancing them to a second reading on November 28. Despite facing strong opposition, particularly from northern Nigeria’s elites, the bills are expected to undergo a public hearing in the coming weeks.
Abubakar, who has been closely following the ongoing discussions around the bills, voiced his concerns about the need for transparency and fairness in the legislative process. He urged that the public hearing be conducted with objectivity, allowing all Nigerians—whether civil society organizations, traditional institutions, politicians, public officials, or experts—to have their say.
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“I have followed the intense public discourse on the Tax Reform Bills with keen interest,” Abubakar wrote. “Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity.”
He added, “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 penalizing others.”
Abubakar also called for the National Assembly to ensure that the final content of the bills reflects the will of the majority of Nigerians.
Atiku further urged the National Assembly to review and disclose the resolutions of the National Economic Council (NEC) regarding the tax reform bills. On October 3, President Tinubu presented the four proposed bills, which include the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Tax Administration Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill. Additionally, Tinubu is pushing for the repeal of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) law, aiming to replace it with the Nigeria Revenue Service.
Despite a recommendation from the NEC on October 31 for Tinubu to withdraw the bills for further consultations, the president has stood firm, insisting that the tax reforms are crucial to streamlining Nigeria’s tax administration and aligning it with global best practices.
