•we are ready for negotiation with Northern lawmakers
Leaders of the Southern caucus in the House of Representatives on Tuesday expressed overwhelming support for the passage of the tax reform bills transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu.
Leader of the Caucus, Hon. Nicholas Mutu who gave the update on the meeting held by the caucus in Abuja, expressed readiness to engage the Northern caucus as well as other stakeholders with a view to improve the country’s economy.
He said: “We are open to dialogue, we have met and welcomed the tax reform bills with so much excitement.
“We are open to dialogue and at the right time, we will capture the people element that is missing in the bill.
“The bill is good for Nigeria and it’s a people-oriented bill and we are happy to have the tax reform bills.”
While responding to questions on the stuff opposition against the proposed tax reform bills by the Northern Governors and other stakeholders, Hon. Fred Agbedi said: “In addition to what the Leader of the Southern Caucus has said, let us not begin to make mountains out of where no mountain exists. It is the responsibility of the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the National Assembly to receive proposals for any sort of bill from either the Executive or individual bills. Once they are received they go through the House procedures and processes and then the public is invited.
“Here, Mr. President has sent the executive bill. What the Southern caucus is saying is that, we are ready to take up our official responsibility of making laws for the nation and so we welcome the bill and that as we process it, inputs are made from our various states and constituencies.
“Some states have already received those inputs and so we align with our Constituents and the States that we represent.
“So, we are ready to work and ensure that we give a better tax law to Nigeria, that’s what we are interested in. It’s not to play the gallery, there’s nothing like being Southern and Northern divide.
“The National Assembly’s responsibility is to make laws for this country and the essence of making law is to receive proposals; when you receive proposals you put them through the principles processes of lawmaking.
“At the end of the day amendments, innovations will be brought into that proposal and it will be passed by both Houses and the President will assent to whatever amendments that are done to his proposal and that the Southern Caucus is ready to run with the proposal that Mr. President has sent.”
Responding to the level of the caucus’ engagement with the Northern lawmakers on the contentious issue of derivation, Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson said: “Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution gives the responsibility of making laws for the good governance of the country to the National Assembly. Now the National Assembly has two arms, the Senate and House of Reps and we abide by the rule of law and not the rule of man.
“The rule of law says that the Executive can present bills and the processes where those bills can be treated.
“The bill goes through first reading, goes through second reading, if it passes we do public hearing. At every point in time, there’s no bill that has a national outlook that there won’t be interests colliding in one way or the other.
“But our job is to sit down with our Brothers find the middle course around, go back to history, the 13 per cent derivative that is being gotten by oil-producing states, started with 50 per cent.
“Recently we have had issues with the host community bill as well, so there are negotiations back and forth. At the end of the day, Nigeria will be better for it. So, negotiation is an act, we will sit down, go back and forth, exchange and make them see reasons and we all ensure that this matter comes to a logical end that will be in the interest of the good people of Nigeria.”
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