The Senate passed the four controversial tax reform bills transmitted to it by President Bola Tinubu for a second reading on Thursday.
This followed a lead debate on the bills presented by Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and debated by senators during plenary.
Recall that some top officials in Tinubu’s government appeared before the Senate yesterday and made detailed presentations on the bills.
Northern governors, traditional rulers, and the Northern Elders Forum had earlier rejected the bills, saying the proposed bills were not in the nation’s interest.
The Senate leadership on Wednesday resisted the opposition mounted by Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno) and Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi) against allowing top officials of President Bola Tinubu’s government to defend the tax reform bills.
Before the government officials were given access to the chamber for their presentation, the Senate descended into a heated session.
The commotion began when the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti), moved to suspend Order 12 to allow the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy & Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, to address the chamber on the bills.
Bamidele argued that the officials were experts in the field, and the motion was seconded by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to allow the visitors in.
However, some senators opposed the motion, saying allowing such presentations during plenary was improper.
The deliberation on the tax reform bills surprised some senators as they were not listed as part of the agenda for the day on the Order Paper.
Senator Ningi suggested that the matter be referred to the Senate’s finance or appropriations committee for further discussions.
He argued that the rules only permit former presidents, former Speakers of the House of Representatives, and former senators to speak in the chambers.
Similarly, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) opposed the move, citing the Senate Rules prohibiting visitors from addressing the chamber on matters not included in the Order Paper.
