The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, has dismissed suggestions that Senate President Godswill Akpabio overruled his deputy, Jibrin Barau, on the controversial Tax Reform Bills.
On Thursday, Akpabio had while reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to advancing the Tax Reform Bills, stated that no aspect of the bills has been suspended or withdrawn.
He said the upper chamber remains focused on its mandate to represent Nigerians’ interests and will not be intimidated by external pressures.
His comments came after Barau who presided over the Senate plenary on Wednesday, announced a committee led by Senator Moro to meet with the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to address contentious issues in the bills.
Akpabio maintained that even with the constitution of a special committee by the Senate, the upper chamber remains steadfast in its legislative responsibilities. The Senate President’s statement has been interpreted in some quarters as overruling his deputy.
However, Senator Moro who chairs the special committee on the Tax Reform Bills, said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday that there was no case of overruling by anyone.
According to Senator Moro, what happened was a mere adjustment of membership and procedures to adopt in the process.
“I don’t see it as an overruling as such. The deputy Senate President presided over the session; on the next day, the Senate President presided over the session. This idea of setting up a committee, the idea of interfacing with the executive on the bills before the House was muted on Thursday the previous week.
“So, the list was drawn and of course under normal circumstances adjustments are permissible and that is what was done. I think it doesn’t have any insinuation of one overruling the other, it’s just a mere adjustment of membership and procedures to adopt in the process,” Senator Moro said.
While speaking on the Bills on Thursday’s edition of the Sunrise Daily, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, had raised fears that the Tax Reform Bills could systematically phase out the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Osodeke also lamented that the lecturer’s union is not being carried along in the consultations regarding the Tax Reform Bills which could affect TETFund which is a critical part of the university system in the country.
Reacting to that, Senator Moro said that ASUU will be involved in their consultations if it is necessary.
“If it is necessary, definitely ASUU will be involved but our mandate is to interface with the executive,” Senator Moro said.
He assured Nigerians that as their representatives, the Senators are open to all kinds of inputs on critical issues that affect the lives of the people.
