President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Justice to work closely with the National Assembly to address the concerns raised by Nigerians following the controversy trailing the Tax Reforms Bills.
Tinubu, who is in South Africa, handed down the review order on Tuesday as some northern youths stormed the National Assembly in support of the bills.
The bills—the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill—have generated hot debates and contention across the country, with northern governors and lawmakers opposed to their passage.
Critics opine that the reforms could disrupt the balance of fiscal federalism, potentially centralising tax authority and diminishing state revenues.
However, in an effort to alleviate the high level of emotion around the reform legislation, Tinubu instructed the Federal Ministry of Justice and related authorities who worked on the draft to consult with the National Assembly to address all real issues before passing the measures.
This was said in a statement signed by Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, headed “President Tinubu commits to accountability on tax bills, directs Ministry of Justice to collaborate with NASS on concerns.”
The minister said, “In line with the established legislative procedure, the Federal General welcomes meaningful inputs that can address whatever grey areas there may be in the bill.
“In this vein, President Tinubu has already directed the Federal Ministry of Justice and relevant officials who worked on the drafts to work closely with the National Assembly to ensure that all genuine concerns have been addressed before the bills are passed.”
Notably, at a meeting on October 28, governors from the 19 Northern States, represented by the Northern Governors’ Forum, rejected the new derivation-based model for Value-Added Tax distribution outlined in the tax reform proposals.
They argued that the modifications could have a negative impact on their regions’ financial autonomy.
Three days later, the National Economic Council, which included all 36 state governors, asked the President to remove the Tax Reforms Bill from the National Assembly for extensive deliberations.
However, the President stated that there would be no need to remove the bill from the National Assembly.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has warned that if the President uses his executive powers to pass the tax bills, millions of Nigerians will suffer the repercussions.
Zulum stated that the proposed VAT-sharing arrangement will primarily benefit Lagos and Rivers states.
However, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, former House Speaker Yakubu Dogara, and a number of other northern politicians supported the proposals.
Nonetheless, the Senate advanced the proposals to a second reading, a decision that has been heavily criticised.
In its statement on Monday, the Presidency stated that most reactions from political leaders and commentators “are not grounded in facts, reality, or sufficient knowledge of the bills.”
It mentioned that the tax bills will not enrich Lagos or Rivers at the expense of northern states.
Corroborating the presidency’s stance, the information minister said, “The fiscal reforms will not impoverish any state or region of the country, nor will they lead to the scrapping or weakening of any federal agencies.”
The Tinubu-led Federal Government welcomed the nationwide debate on the bills, saying, “This is the very essence and meaning of democracy.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
