President Bola Tinubu has said that the call by the National Economic Council to withdraw the Tax Reform Bill from the National Assembly will be rejected.
The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima had chaired a meeting with the National Economic Council (NEC) for the Tax Reform Bill to be withdrawn for further consultation and engagement.
However, the President said while he commends the advice of the Vice President and the 36 state governors on the bill, he believes that the legislative process, which has already begun, provides an opportunity for inputs and necessary changes without withdrawing the bills from the National Assembly.
A statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, on Friday, urged “NEC to allow the process to take its full course, President Tinubu welcomes further consultations and engagement with key stakeholders to address any reservations about the bills while the National Assembly considers them for passage.”
Part of the statement read:
“The Committee worked for over a year and received inputs from various segments of society across the geopolitical zones, including trade associations, professional bodies, different Ministries and Government Agencies, Governors, traders, students, business owners, and the organised private sector.
“The tax reform bills that emerged were distilled from the extensive work of the Presidential Committee.”
19 Northern governors had kicked against the passing of the tax reform bill. The bill is currently being deliberated on at the National Assembly.
