News

President’s Controversial Tax Bills Split N’Assembly

Published

1 year ago

November 11, 2024

Editor

Members of the National Assembly are currently divided over the controversial Tax Reform Bills introduced by President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

The President had, on September 3, transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration.

The reforms stemmed from the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms headed by Taiwo Oyedele, for the review of existing tax laws.

The bills are the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which is expected to provide the fiscal framework for taxation in the country, and the Tax Administration Bill, which will provide a clear and concise legal framework for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes.

Others are the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, which will repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which will create a tax tribunal and a tax ombudsman.

At the heart of the debate is the proposed shift to a derivation-based model for Value Added Tax distribution, which would allocate tax revenue to the states where goods and services are consumed, rather than where companies have their headquarters.

The bills were rejected by the 19 northern governors and traditional rulers.

The governors, under the aegis of the Northern Governors’ Forum, rejected the new derivation-based model for VAT distribution, insisting that the contents of the bills did not align with the interests of the North and other subnational entities.

Similarly, the National Economic Council, headed by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, recommended the bills’ withdrawal to allow for wider consultations and consensus building.

While the bills have not been presented for a second reading where the principles of the bills will be debated, some lawmakers have expressed divergent views.

Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) had in a television interview opposed the bills and vowed to mobilise other lawmakers from the north against them.

Speaking with The PUNCH, Senator Ogoshi Onawo of Nasarawa South Senatorial District kicked against the bills, saying it was unfair for the government to continue imposing taxes on Nigerians who were battling economic hardship.

He berated the Tinubu-led administration for being insensitive to the plights of Nigerians, insisting that the tax reforms would worsen the hardship in the country.

Onawo called on Tinubu to heed the advice of NEC and either withdraw the bills or rework them to capture the recommendations of Nigerians.

“I think the timing of the bills is not right because of the economic hardship being experienced by all Nigerian citizens. The bill is just to impose more hardship on Nigerians. Generally, all over the world, when tax is imposed on an economy, it is the consumers that bear the brunt.

“Tax generally is a good thing if the government is responsive enough to the yearnings of the people. There is no point for me paying tax when the roads are bad, and there are no basic social amenities, and if the government is not responsive enough to provide those things that I’m supposed to enjoy and I’m paying tax on, I think it is unfair for the government to be taxing people left, right and centre.

“Every Nigerian is paying multiple taxes now on so many things, if those multiple taxes can be streamlined and made affordable for Nigerians to live a comfortable life, I don’t think tax is a bad idea, but when the government is collecting tax and the people are not seeing the effect of the tax, then I think it needs a rethink,” the lawmaker said.

A senator from the North-Central, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the bills were still under consideration, but assured that Nigerians would have a say in their outcome.

The lawmaker said, “We will do justice to the bills; we will allow Nigerians to have a say and take part in the process and a true reflection on of our constituents that will prevail.”

However, lawmakers from the South-West dismissed fears over possible marginalisation of any region in the implementation of a new tax regime.

Defending the bills, a House of Representative member from the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Babajimi Benson, said a rejig of tax management strategies had become imperative because the old models did not yield much in recent years.

He said the bills reflected a pragmatic approach by the Tinubu government to address longstanding challenges in the tax administration.

According to him, not all the governors are opposed to the bills, adding that some merely asked for clarifications in the proposals by the President.

He pledged the readiness of the Green Chamber to thoroughly scrutinise the bills before passage.

“This reform is designed to transform our tax system, providing exemptions to the most vulnerable businesses and individuals, eliminating the burden of multiple taxation, and enhancing the effective mobilisation and management of the nation’s revenue.

“Regarding the derivation policy, which mandates that a portion of revenue generated within a state is returned to that state, I believe that no state will be disadvantaged. Significant revenue streams come from various states across the federation, including Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, and Lagos.

“To ensure fairness, the proposed five per cent set aside by the Federal Government could be used as an equalisation transfer to prevent any state from receiving less revenue than it would have under the current distribution formula”, Benson said.

In his contribution, a federal lawmaker from Osun State, Oluwole Oke, said controversies trailing the bills were not unexpected, adding that the National Assembly would do its part and subject them to public inputs.

He reminded those opposing the bills not to forget that “tax bills/laws usually stem from tax design which is based on the peculiarities of a society and several other factors.”

“A bill is like raw gold at the goldsmith workshop. The governors are bound to have their opinions and positions perhaps based on well-researched positions.

“We will all meet at the public hearing and in the committee of the whole vis-a-vis voting and fortunately, it’s my area of specialisation,” he said.

When The PUNCH reached out to Oyedele and asked if there were plans to engage Nigerians and the governors on the bills, he said, “Yes, we plan for further engagements and some are ongoing.”

Meanwhile, debate on the bills is expected to dominate proceedings in both chambers of the National Assembly when it resumes from its one-week oversight recess on November 19.
PUNCH

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

10 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

News

IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police

Published

10 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.

Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.

Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.

News

Court Orders SERAP To Pay DSS Operatives N100m For Defamation

Published

15 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has ordered a non-governmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, to pay N100 million as damaged to two operatives of the Department of the State Services, DSS, for unjustly defaming them in some publications.

The court also ordered SERAP to tender public apologies to the defamed officers,
Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, in two national newspapers, two television stations and its website.

Besides, the organization was also ordered to pay the two operatives N1 million as cost of litigation and 10 percent post-judgment interest annually on the judgment sum until it’s fully liquidated.

Justice Yusuf Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on Tuesday while delivering judgment in a N5.5 billion defamation suit instituted against SERAP by the DSS operatives.

The judge found SERAP liable for unjustly defaming the two DSS operatives with allegations that they unlawfully invaded its Abuja office, harassed and intimidated its staff, in September 2024.

In the offending publication on its website and Twitter handle, SERAP alleged that the two operatives unlawfully invaded and occupied its office with sinister motives.

The judge held that the publication was in bad taste especially from an organization established to promote transparency and accountability, as nothing in the publication was found to be truthful.

The DSS staff had listed SERAP as 1st defendant in the suit marked CV/4547/2024. SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, was listed as the 2nd defendant.

In the suit, the claimants – Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele – accused the two defendants of making false claims that they invaded SERAP’s Abuja office on September 9, 2024..

Counsel to the DSS, Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde, had while adopting his final address in the mater urged the judge to grant all the reliefs sought by his client in the interest of justice.

He admitted that although the names of the two claimants were not mentioned in the defamation materials, they had however established substantial circumstances that they are the ones referred to in the published defamation article by SERAP on its website.

The counsel submitted that all ingredients of defamation have been clearly established and the offending publication referred to the two officials of the secret police.

However, SERAP, through its counsel, Victoria Bassey from Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, law firm, asked the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the two claimants did not establish that they were the ones referred to in the alleged defamation materials.

She said that SERAP used “DSS officials” in the alleged offending publication, adding that the two claimants must establish that they are the ones referred to before their case can succeed.

Similar arguments were canvassed by Oluwatosin Adefioye who stood for the second defendant, adding that there was no dispute in the September 9, 2024 operation of DSS in SERAP’s office.

He said that since SERAP in the publication did not name any particular person, the claimants must plead special circumstances that they were the ones referred to as the DSS officials.

Besides, he said that there is no organization by name Department of State Services in law, hence, DSS cannot claim being defamed adding that the only entity known to law is National Security Agency.

The claimants had in the suit stated that the alleged false claim by SERAP has negatively impacted on their reputation.

The DSS also stated, in the statement of claim, that, in line with the agency’s practice of engaging with officials of non-governmental organisations operating in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it directed the two officials – John and Ogunleye – to visit SERAP’s office and invite them for a familiarization meeting.

The claimants added that in carrying out the directive, John and Ogunleye paid a friendly visit to SERAP’s office at 18 Bamako Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who upon being informed about the purpose of the visit, claimed that none of SERAP’s management staff was in the country and advised that a formal letter of invitation be written by the DSS.

John and Ogundele, who claimed that their interactions with Ruth were recorded, said before they immediately exited SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform her organisation’s management about the visit and volunteered a phone number – 08160537202.

They said it was surprising that, shortly after their visit, SERAP posted on its X (Twitter) handle – @SERAPNigeria – that officers of the DSS are presently unlawfully occupying its office.

The claimant added, “On the same day, the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits, falsely alleging that some officers from the DSS, described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark skinned man,” invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP).

John and Ogundele stated that “due to the false statements published by the defendants, the DSS has been ridiculed and criticised by international agencies such as the Amnesty International and prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN)”.

“Due to the false statements published by the defendants, members of the public and the international community formed the opinion that the Federal Government is using the DSS to harass the defendants.”

They added that the defendants’ statements caused harm to their reputation because the staff and management of the DSS have formed the opinion that the claimants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation and are therefore, incompetent and unprofessional.

The claimants therefore prayed the court for the following reliefs: “An order directing the defendants to tender an apology to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter) handle, two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard) and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing the claimants of unlawfully invading the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N5 billion as damages for the libellous statements published about the claimants.

“Interest on the sum of N5b at the rate of 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until the judgment sum is realised or liquidated.

“An order directing the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N50 million as costs of this action.”