The furore surrounding the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Tax Bill has remained unabated as key actors in the issue are bolstering their trenches.
This followed the revelation, on Sunday, by the Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Phillip Agbese that state governors have threatened to ensure that National Assembly members who supported the bill will be stopped from returning to the hallowed chamber.
According to Agbese, the threat was issued as the the lawmakers are preparing to consider the bill on Monday, November 18.
Agbese disclosed on Sunday that the House of Representatives will today engage Taiwo Oyedele, the Chairman, Presidential Committee On Fiscal and Tax Reforms.
In spite of the alleged threat, the lawmaker stated that the lawmakers will take a bipartisan approach at the Bill, deciding on what is best for the country, adding that the governors will fail in the quest to stop the bill, and their alleged diabolical plot against the lawmaker.
Citing the Holy Bible, the lawmaker said, “Behold, they shall surely gather, but not by me. Whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.”
The lawmaker has some harsh words for the state governors; you did not elect us to the National Assembly, and our destines are not in your hands to determine whether we will return or not to the NASS in 2027.
He said the bill will be passed by the national Assembly despite the governors’ opposition to it.
He alleged that, “Some of these governors are threatening members from their states. They have even gone far to threaten that they would deny members return tickets in 2027 if they support the bills.
“As far as we are concerned in the House of Representatives, nobody can stop us from supporting President Bola Tinubu’s bid to reboot the economy to work for the country.
“We are united across party lines to make sure the country works. This is the disposition of Speaker, Tajudeen Abass.”
“The difference between the new crop of politicians in the House of Representatives is that we are intellectually sound, progressive-minded and pro-Nigeria.
“We were not elected by the governors but our constituents and as far as the legislation (bills) will work for those that elected us, we will support them unequivocally, wholeheartedly and powerfully to see the light of the day.
“We are engaging Taiwo Oyedele and other tax experts on Monday.
“We have made copies of the bills available to every lawmaker to study, dissect and make inputs when we bring them up for debate,” he stated, adding that the proposed legislation was likely to scale through but with some amendments where necessary.
“I see the 10th House Congressmen passing the bills with minor adjustments to polish them with a touch of patriotism and intellectualism. That’s the trademark when you have a teacher leading a parliament anywhere in the world,” Agbese said.
The magazine reports that many state governors have opposed the Bill on the excuse that their states will be shortchanged in the new order if the bill is passed by NASS.
For instance, the 19 Northern state governors, under the aegis of the Northern Governors Forum, NGF, recently met in Kaduna state alongside other opinion and religious leaders from the region, after which they rejected the bill.
The northern leaders, during the meeting pointedly told the president to withdraw the bill from NASS.
In spite of the strong opposition, President Tinubu has insisted that the bill will not be withdrawn.
The battle over the controversial bill appears drawn among major protagonists, analysts insist, as Nigerians watch on whether there will be compromise along the line.
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