News
Senate Opens Public Hearing On Tax Reforms, Invites 71 Groups
The Senate will hold public hearings on tax reform bills on Monday and Tuesday next week through its Committee on Finance. President Bola Tinubu forwarded these bills to both chambers of the National Assembly on October 3, 2024.
The tax reform bills include: “The Nigeria Tax Bill (NTB) 2024, The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB) 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill (NRSEB) 2024, the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill (JRBEB) 2024.”
These bills were passed for a second reading in the Senate on November 28, 2024, and subsequently referred to the Committee on Finance for further legislative input through a public hearing.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with committee members ahead of the hearing, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (Niger East), stated that the public hearing follows extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders.
Sani Musa explained that the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill and the Nigeria Revenue Service Bill would be deliberated on Monday. At the same time, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill and the Nigeria Tax Bill will be reviewed on Tuesday.
According to him, to ensure a thorough consideration of the bills—which aim to reshape the nation’s economic landscape—the following key stakeholders are expected to participate in the public hearing:
“Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, Statistician-General of the Federation and Chief Executive of the National Bureau of Statistics, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Minister of Petroleum, Minister of Trade and Investment.”
Representatives from 71 different stakeholder groups have also been invited to the hearing.
“The Committee is inviting 71 different groups of stakeholders to this crucial public hearing,” Sani Musa said.
“Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have completed the second reading of the reform bills and are now ready for the public hearing.
“Committee members have reviewed the bills thoroughly, gaining a clearer understanding of their objectives—particularly in the areas of tax administration, collection, and operations in Nigeria.
“The primary goal of these reform bills is to enhance government revenue generation to position our country among advanced economies. This will enable us to adequately fund infrastructure, education, agriculture, and other critical sectors that sustain our economy.”
He further emphasised that the public hearing is expected to proceed smoothly, as prior stakeholder engagements have helped shape discussions.
“We have engaged with numerous stakeholders before reaching this stage, and I believe the public hearing will be productive. Any grey areas that arise will be addressed.
“President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly stated that he will not interfere in the legislative process. Our duty as lawmakers is to act in the country’s best interest.
“We may represent different tribes, religions, and regions, but above all, we are Nigerians. We aim to enact laws that will place Nigeria on the right economic path. By the grace of God, we will succeed,” he said.
Before the closed-door session, the committee met with top officials of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), led by its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Armstrong Tokang, who was directed to provide the committee with the National Assets Register of the country.
Former Vice President and prominent opposition leader Atiku Abubakar has vocally condemned the arrest and ongoing detention of social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement released on Monday, Atiku characterized this action as “yet another blatant abuse of power” by the Bola Tinubu administration, alleging that it employs political repression as a governance strategy.
“Even more concerning is the fact that Mr. Otse remains in custody without any formal charges—this constitutes a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights and serves as a chilling reminder of the increasing authoritarianism under this government,” Atiku asserted.
He contended that the detention is part of a “disturbing pattern” exhibited by the Tinubu administration, which seeks to suppress fundamental freedoms, particularly targeting dissenters and opposition figures.
“We must not permit state-sponsored repression to become the hallmark of our democracy,” Atiku cautioned.
The former presidential candidate further criticized security agencies for their selective enforcement, highlighting the swift arrests of dissenters—often executed without due process—while political allies facing corruption allegations remain unscathed.
“The systematic repression of opposition voices by the Tinubu administration is nothing short of disgraceful. It represents a blatant affront to democratic principles and must be vehemently condemned and opposed,” he concluded.
From Amos Tauna, Kaduna
A northern-based civic group, the Concerned Northern Forum (CNF), has raised the alarm over what it describes as the deliberate delay by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, despite multiple petitions and earlier commitments by the agency.
Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna on Monday, CNF Chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad Sani, said the EFCC’s inaction was “raising serious questions” about its independence and willingness to go after powerful individuals.
According to him, the group alongside other civil society bodies, had submitted petitions as far back as May and September 2024, detailing how Matawalle allegedly mismanaged a colossal amount of money in state funds during his tenure from 2019 to 2023.
“We have seen the EFCC take bold steps against other former governors and ministers. So we are asking: why the silence in this case? Who is shielding Matawalle from investigation?” Sani queried.
The CNF pointed to official financial data and loan records to back its claims, insisting that the former governor should be made to explain how federal allocations and borrowed funds running into hundreds of billions were utilised.
Sani stated that the EFCC itself, in a statement issued in May 18, 2023, had confirmed through its then Director, Media and Public Affairs, Osita Nwajah, said that EFCC is investigating Matawalle over allegations of monumental corruption award of plantom vontracts and diversion of over N70 billion, lamenting that more than a year later, nothing concrete had come out of that investigation.
The Zamfara State Lawyer Forum has endorsed the Nigerian House of Representatives’ decision to summon Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal and leaders of the state’s House of Assembly, amid a deepening crisis within the legislature and escalating insecurity across the northwestern state.
The forum, a prominent legal advocacy group, described the summons as a constitutionally valid exercise of legislative oversight, citing Sections 88 and 89 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which empower the National Assembly to investigate matters of public interest and summon relevant officials.
Barrister Aisha Muhammed, the forum’s chairperson, said in a statement on Sunday that the House’s action was “legally valid, constitutionally supported, and deeply necessary” to uphold democratic governance and the rule of law.
She argued that Governor Lawal and state assembly leaders must answer questions regarding the suspension of seven elected assembly members and the controversial declaration of a lawmaker’s seat vacant—actions she said raised “grave constitutional questions” and potentially breached democratic norms.
“Governors and assembly leaders must not invoke immunity as a shield against legitimate oversight,” Muhammed said, referencing Section 308 of the Constitution, which grants immunity from judicial processes but does not exempt officials from non-coercive legislative inquiries.
“Accountability is the lifeblood of constitutional democracy. No public office holder, no matter how highly placed, is above the people’s right to transparency.”
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions issued the summons on Friday, directing Governor Lawal, his Benue counterpart Hyacinth Alia, and their respective state assembly leaders to appear before it on 8 May.
The move follows a petition by the Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, a civil rights group, highlighting worsening insecurity and legislative dysfunction in both states.
Zamfara has been plagued by rampant banditry, with recent attacks claiming dozens of lives, including six community protection guards and four vigilantes in Anka Local Government Area on 22 March, and 20 gold miners in Maru Local Government Area on 24 April.
The state’s legislative crisis, marked by factionalism and alleged executive interference, has further compounded governance challenges.
Muhammed criticised Governor Lawal’s apparent acquiescence to the assembly’s controversial actions, calling for “legal and moral scrutiny”.
She stressed that the National Assembly’s intervention was not only lawful but obligatory to preserve constitutional order and address public grievances.
“The key question is not whether the Governor or the Speaker can be summoned, but [what] they have [to say in response to] questions to answer,” she said.