Tax Reform Bill: House Of Reps In Rowdy Session Over Spokesman’s Comments

The House of Representatives witnessed a rowdy session on Tuesday following a passing remark a member, Akin Rotimi (Ekiti, APC), made in support of the contentious tax reform bills.

The four tax reform bills sent to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu have been generating pushback from the North.

Last week, an executive session convened by the House to discuss the bills witnessed a heated session with lawmakers mostly from the North opposing the planned second reading of the bill.

The House which had earlier planned to hold a special session with members of the Presidential Team on Tax Reform on Tuesday, announced an indefinite postponement of the engagement, citing a need for further consultations.

On Tuesday, Rotimi, who is the spokesman of the House, incurred the wrath of his colleagues when he made a passing remark declaring support for the contentious tax reform bills when he was called to present a report to the House.

He was to make a presentation of the report of the House Committee on Nigerian Content Development an Monitoring on behalf of its chairperson, Boma Goodhead, who was not available at plenary.

Trouble began when Rotimi in the course of introducing himself before presenting the report said, “I am from Ekiti State, the very first state in the NASS Caucus that has unanimously endorsed the tax reform bills.”

The comment by Rotimi making reference to the endorsement of the contentious tax reform bills by his state’s caucus drew the angst of the lawmakers with spontaneous shout of “no, no” renting the air, resulting in a rowdy session.

While Rotimi struggled to make his presentation amidst the rowdy session, the lawmakers continued to shout him down, insisting he must not be allowed to make the presentation.

The Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, while trying to intervene and calm the agitated lawmakers said, “he was just speaking on a light note, let’s not take it serious.”

The Speaker who described the statement by Rotimi as controversial, went on to withdraw it on his (Rotimi) behalf but the lawmakers still continued their shouting match notwithstanding the intervention.

Making his intervention, Speaker Abbas said, “Hon. Rotimi, you know this is a controversial issue. I wouldn’t want you to mention things that are not relevant to the subject matter. So please on your behalf, I withdraw that statement. So please, let us not repeat it again. So, go ahead and raise your motion.”

After the Speaker’s intervention, Rotimi still stood up to withdraw his statement and tried to continue with his presentation but the lawmakers insisted he must not be allowed to make the presentation, forcing him to sit down.

Amidst the rowdy session, the Speaker ruled that the House dissolved into the committee of the whole for consideration of the reports.

At this point, the Speaker rose from his seat and gave way for his deputy, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, to continue proceeding at the committee of the whole.