Tax Reform Bills: PDP Senator Throws Weight Behind Bill, Acknowledges Need for Robust Consultation

As the Tax Reform bill continues to take centre stage with reactions from every corner, an opposition lawmaker representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday threw his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills.

Dickson, who is also the former Bayelsa State governor, made an appearance as a guest on a television program where he affirmed that the tax reform bills were not bad but emphasized the need for a robust consultation in a bid to allay the fears raised in some quarters.

The senator reflected that with the massive impact of the reform summarized into four bills by the president and his team, there was the need for political consensus building and robust consultation from all sides.
He mentioned, “There is nothing bad about reforms. If you want to bring about massive change as a governor or president, you must undertake fundamental reforms.

“The deeper the reforms, the more likely the results will last even before you. There is nothing wrong about that.”
Recently in the nation’s polity, the four tax reform bills have generated intense debate across Nigeria.
The bills are the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 -SB.583; the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024- SB.584; the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024-SB.585; and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 – SB.586.

Criticisms have emerged from some sections of the country concerning the bills, as there were claims that they favoured some parts of the country over others. Many opponents of the measures, according to those in support of the bills, have not read their provisions and are merely spreading lies.

The bills have passed the second reading stage at the Senate and have been handed over to a committee that will conduct public hearings on them. They are yet to be debated in the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives went into a rowdy session on Tuesday after the House spokesman, Akin Rotimi, touched on the controversial tax reform bills.

The lawmaker, in moving a motion for consideration of two reports, had introduced himself as being from Ekiti state, the first state to adopt the tax reform bills. This generated loud resentment from some lawmakers.

The rowdiness was sustained even after the lawmaker apologized and withdrew his comment. Rotimi eventually had to step down from the report.
Hon. Ghali Tijani moved a motion of breach of privilege and called for the resignation of Hon. Philip Agbese as deputy spokesman of the house following a publication, suggesting that the lawmakers are in support of the tax bill.
His motion was noted, and the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, assured that an investigation would be carried out by the house on the matter.