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Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the recent election, has urged lawmakers to maintain transparency during public hearings on President Bola Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms. In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Atiku emphasized the need for open dialogue and inclusivity in the process.
Four tax reform bills, including the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, have passed their second reading in the Senate and are now under review by the Senate Committee on Finance. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has mandated the committee to engage with the National Economic Council (NEC), the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), and civil society organizations during the public hearings.
While Atiku refrained from explicitly stating his stance on the bills themselves, he stressed the importance of due process and a fair hearing for all stakeholders. He expressed his concern that the tax reforms should not worsen existing regional economic disparities. The public discourse surrounding the bills has been intense, with some critics arguing that they unfairly favor certain regions of Nigeria.
Atiku’s statement highlighted the necessity of transparency and objectivity in the public hearings, ensuring an open forum for participation from various stakeholders, including civil society groups, traditional leaders, politicians, and experts. He also called on the National Assembly to publicize the resolutions reached by the National Economic Council regarding these bills, emphasizing the Council’s crucial advisory role in national economic matters.
The bills are yet to undergo a second reading in the House of Representatives. The timing and format of the public hearings remain unannounced, but once completed, the committees will present their recommendations to the Senate and House for final approval. The final decision will be made by the Committee of the Whole, where the clauses of the bills will be debated and voted upon.
