NASS adjourns plenary amidst tensions over tax reform bills

Both the Senate and House of Representatives have adjourned plenary sessions until November 19, 2024, amid controversy over President Bola Tinubu’s proposed tax reform bills.

The move follows a wave of resistance from various stakeholders, including state governors and some National Assembly members, who expressed concerns about the reforms.

On Wednesday, the Senate initially listed the tax reform bills for a first reading. However, alongside the bills, it also postponed the screening and confirmation of seven new ministerial nominees. By Thursday, the bills were conspicuously absent from the Senate’s order paper, sparking curiosity and speculation.

During Thursday’s plenary, the Senate, evidently unsettled by opposition from prominent voices such as Senators Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) and Dandutse Muntari (APC, Katsina South), moved into a closed-door session barely an hour into proceedings. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) cited the session as necessary for the smooth functioning of the National Assembly, though Senate President Godswill Akpabio later stated that the discussions centered on matters of “urgent national importance.”

After three hours behind closed doors, the Senate returned to public session, opting only to consider a committee report on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions. Unexpectedly, President of the Senate Akpabio then announced an adjournment until November 19 for oversight and committee work, a rare move during this period of the legislative calendar when lawmakers traditionally focus on critical fiscal policies, including the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), leading into the national budget for 2025.

Earlier in the month, Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), had engaged the Senate Finance Committee, emphasizing that the tax reforms aimed to streamline Nigeria’s tax administration without imposing additional burdens on citizens. However, several lawmakers, including Muntari, remained skeptical, asserting that the timing was inappropriate for such reforms.

This unusually prolonged adjournment has raised eyebrows, as it marks a significant departure from the National Assembly’s typical focus on fiscal planning at this time of year. Lawmakers will reconvene in mid-November, with the tax reform bills and other pressing legislative matters hanging in the balance.