Atiku Urges Fairness in Tax Reform Bills, Calls for Transparency

The controversy surrounding the tax reform bills has sparked intense public debate, with various stakeholders calling for a balanced approach that promotes equity across the country.

Abuja, Nigeria – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for a fiscal system that ensures justice, fairness, and equity amid ongoing debates surrounding the proposed tax reform bills.

In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Atiku urged the National Assembly to prioritize transparency and revisit the resolutions of the National Economic Council (NEC) regarding the bills.

Atiku expressed concern that the current fiscal proposals could exacerbate inequality by benefiting a few states while penalizing others. He emphasized that Nigerians have voiced their opposition to a system that promotes uneven development among the country’s federating units.

“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 penalizing others,” he stated.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election called for objectivity in the ongoing public hearings on the bills. He urged the National Assembly to ensure open and inclusive participation by all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, traditional institutions, politicians, public officials, and economic experts.

“As a concerned stakeholder, I firmly believe that transparency and objectivity are essential for promoting accountability, good governance, and public trust in policy-making,” Atiku said.

He also highlighted the importance of revisiting the NEC’s resolutions, describing the council as a critical organ with constitutional authority to advise the President on economic matters.

Atiku concluded by urging the National Assembly to ensure the final contents of the tax reform bills align with the interests of the majority of Nigerians.

“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,” he said.

The controversy surrounding the tax reform bills has sparked intense public debate, with various stakeholders calling for a balanced approach that promotes equity across the country.