Lawmakers from the southern region of Nigeria have rejected calls for the withdrawal of the contentious tax reform bills, insisting that concerns can be resolved through legislative debates and public hearings.
The tax reform bills, introduced by the executive in October 2024, include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
The proposals have sparked intense debates, with northern governors strongly opposing the changes, particularly those related to the derivation-based Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution model.
A House of Representatives member from the South-West, Bamidele Salam, in an interview with Sunday Punch, urged stakeholders to allow the legislative process to address the contentious issues.
The lawmaker said, “I do not support those calling for the withdrawal of the bills.
“That would be akin to throwing out the baby with the bath water. There is no issue in the bills that cannot be corrected during public hearings and the subsequent legislative stages. We should not delay this important reform as we did with the Petroleum Industry Bill, only to lose golden opportunities for two decades.”
Similarly, another House of Rep member, Oluwole Oke, emphasised that it would be up to the federal lawmakers to decide the fate of the bills.
Oke said, “In a democracy, the minority will have their say, and the majority will have their way. The representatives of the Nigerian people in Parliament will determine the fate of these four executive bills, not bystanders.”