The Senate on Thursday refuted claims that it had suspended deliberations on the tax reform bills, as reported by some media outlets.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, addressed the issue during plenary, raising Senate Point of Order 42. He clarified that the reports suggesting the suspension of further consideration of the tax reform bills were inaccurate. According to Bamidele, the Senate had not suspended or withdrawn the bills, emphasizing that such actions could only be taken by the executive arm of government, as the bills were executive bills and not private member bills.
“It was a misunderstanding of the legislative process to report that we have withdrawn the bills. The bills were transmitted to us by the executive through the office of the President, and only the executive can withdraw them,” Bamidele explained.
He further noted that while it was normal for concerns to arise during the legislative process, the Senate had referred the matter to the Committee on Finance, giving them six weeks to review and provide a report. He urged the public to be patient and understand the legislative process, stressing that any attempt to intimidate Parliament would be undemocratic.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also weighed in, reinforcing that the work of the National Assembly is carried out in the best interest of Nigeria, through a structured legislative process. He stated that the moment the tax reform bills passed the second reading in the Senate, they remained active. He added that the next step would involve the Committee on Finance conducting consultations and public hearings, with recommendations to follow.
Akpabio further explained that, prior to the second reading, a separate internal committee had been established by the Senate to facilitate discussions on the bills, a move distinct from the work of the Committee on Finance.
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