The four bills, which were transmitted to both chambers of the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu on September 3 have generated controversy and met with stiff opposition.
The bills are the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Adm,inistration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.
The critics of the bills included the Northern Governors Forum, Traditional Rulers Council, National Economic Council, Northern Elders Forum, among others.
While the National Economic Council, comprising the vice president and governors, advised the president to withdraw the bills and allow further consultations, the governors alleged that some clauses in the bill are detrimental to the region.
Despite the opposition, the four bills scaled second reading in the Senate.
However, the passage of the bills was halted at the House of Representatives due to heated debate and confrontations by the lawmakers.
The lawmakers across party lines reportedly rejected attempts by the leadership of the House to persuade them from passing the bill.
The resistance by lawmakers forced the House to adjourn till December 3 to allow broader consultations with Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, to clarify contentious aspects of the bills.
But an internal memo dated November 30, sighted by Dailly Nigerian correspondent and signed by the clerk of the House Representatives, Yahaya Danzaria, said the special session has been postponed to a later date.
The memo, which was titled “Rescheduling of Special Session on Tax Reform Bills and dated November 30, reads,”I am directed by the House leadership to inform all Honourable Members that the Special Session, initially scheduled for Tuesday, 3rd December, 2024, to discuss all the Tax Reform Bills, has been postponed to a later date.
“This rescheduling is due to the need for further and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders.
“A new date and venue for the session will be communicated in due course. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding”.