‘Your Suggestion Is Foreign’ – Senator Monguno Disagrees With Ndume On Controversial Tax Reform Bills

The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, has expressed his disagreement with Senator Ali Ndume of Borno South Senatorial district regarding the tax reform bills.

Naija News reports that the 10th Senate led by Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, passed four tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu for second reading.

The bills passed after the majority leader of the senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, led a debate on them on Thursday.

The four tax bills sent to the National Assembly include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which is expected to provide the fiscal framework for taxation in the country, and the Tax Administration Bill, which will provide a legal framework for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes.

However, there were disagreements among lawmakers during the process of passing the tax reform bills.

Ndume had earlier identified timing as one of the elements drawing antagonism to the proposed bills.

Speaking on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Thursday, the legislator argued that while the bill might have good prospects, introducing such a bill at the moment was bad timing, citing the current perception of the present administration by the populace.

In his submission, however, Monguno characterized Ndume’s proposal to withdraw the tax reform bill as merely theoretical and unworthy of the Senate’s consideration.

During a session in the Senate, Monguno emphasized that such a procedure does not align with the established practices of the Senate.

He reaffirmed his endorsement of the bills.

According to Monguno: “With all due respect to Ndume and all the experience of lawmaking, I very much disagree with him that this bill should be withdrawn first and consultations should be held with the Nigerian governors’ forum and traditional rulers.

“We have a procedure which is clearly unambiguously stated in our rule book for the process of lawmaking and the constitution gave us the powers to regulate our proceedings.

“This procedure that Ndume has suggested is foreign to the process of legislative exercise and is purely academic, which should not be considered.

“It’s an academic exercise not worthy of legislative consideration, so Mr President, having said that, my contribution to the general principles of the bill is that this bill as proposed is novel and trying to reduce the tax burden on Nigerians. I support that this bill should go for a second reading.

“This bill is novel and is for the people because it is trying to reduce the tax burden on Nigerians.”

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