As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s signature Tax Reform Bills pass the Second Reading in the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has raised alarm that political undertakers are doing damage to the President.
Senator Ndume spoke while discussing the tax reform bills during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Thursday said: “Here, we are with political undertakers and they are doing damage to Mr President. The President is trying and within two years he has done some commendable things. But they have been beclouded by some of these policies.
“The PIB (Petroleum Industry Bill) is one of the most important bills passed in our democracy. It was not passed in one session. It was not passed in one year, two years, or three years. I remember the PIB was introduced when I was in the House of Reps and it was not passed until when we were in the Senate and it’s more important than the tax reforms. Even with the reforms, you have to prioritise and time it and get the buy in of Nigerians.”
Ndume said he was not against the bill, but the timing of the bill was wrong.
“I have nothing against the President. But the timing of the bill is wrong. Nigerians are hungry. I am representing my constituents.
“It is not that I am totally saying that we should throw away the baby with the bath water. But since the Governors who are our leaders, the National Economic Council and many individuals have said that it is not that we should throw away the bills, no. Withdraw the bill, do more consultations and then bring the bill again. Why are they in a hurry? That is a big suspicion.”
The Senate passed the bills for second reading earlier Thursday despite protests by Ndume and Senator Abdul Ningi.