The House of Representatives has postponed its special session on the tax reform bill, originally scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, 2024.
In a memo issued on Saturday, Yahaya Danzaria, the Clerk of the House, informed lawmakers that the session has been rescheduled due to the need for further consultations with relevant stakeholders. The memo reads:
“I am directed by the House Leadership to inform all Honourable Members that the Special Session, initially scheduled for Tuesday, 3rd December, 2024, to discuss all the Tax Reform Bills, has been postponed to a later date,” Danzaria wrote.
The memo further emphasized that the new date and venue for the session will be communicated at a later time. “We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” it added.
Akin Rotimi, the spokesperson for the House, confirmed the postponement in a statement to TheCable, citing the need for broader consultations on the matter.
The tax reform bills, which were the subject of the special session, passed their second reading in the Senate on Thursday, November 28, 2024. President Bola Tinubu had earlier presented these bills to the National Assembly on October 3, urging lawmakers to consider and pass them.
However, the proposed bills have faced significant opposition. On October 28, the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) expressed concerns that the bills would harm the region’s economic interests and called on the National Assembly to reject the legislation unless there was a fair and equitable implementation across all regions. The National Economic Council (NEC) also supported calls for the bills to be withdrawn for further consultations.
Despite the pushback, President Tinubu reiterated on November 1 that he would not withdraw the bills, arguing that they were designed to improve the lives of Nigerians and optimize the country’s tax system.
Adding to the controversy, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso criticized the bills, claiming they were an attempt to “colonize the north.”
The delay in the House session indicates that the debate on the tax reform bills will continue to be a contentious issue as lawmakers seek broader consensus.
