Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the National Assembly to revisit and make public the resolutions of the National Economic Council (NEC) on the tax reform bills and be transparent in their legislation.
In a statement on his Facebook page in Sunday, Atiku said NEC is a key stakeholder and an important organ of the state with the constitutional power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation.
Dateline Nigeria reports that the NEC had earlier advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw the bills pending further consultations with stakeholders, a position earlier taken by Northern state governors.
But President Tinubu insisted that the legislative process, which has already begun, provides an opportunity for inputs and necessary changes by without withdrawing the bills.
In his statement, Atiku said “I have followed the intense public discourse on the Tax Reform Bills with keen interest.
“Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity. They are loud and clear that the fiscal system we seek to promote must not exacerbate the uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states while unduly penalising others.
“I call for objectivity and transparency in the conduct of the public hearing being organised by our representatives in the National Assembly. As a concerned stakeholder, I firmly believe that transparency and objectivity are essential for promoting accountability, good governance, and public trust in policy-making.
“The public hearing process must facilitate open and inclusive participation by all stakeholders, including Civil Society Organizations, traditional institutions, politicians, public officials, and subject matter experts.
“In this wise, I call on the NASS to revisit and make public the resolutions of the National Economic Council, a key stakeholder and an important organ of the state with the constitutional power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation.
“The NASS must be appropriately guided and ensure that in the final analysis, the contents of the Bills align with the interests of the vast majority of Nigerians.”
