Lawmakers from Nigeria’s southern region have rejected calls to withdraw the contentious tax reform bills, instead advocating for concerns to be addressed through legislative debates and public hearings.

The tax reform bills, introduced in October 2024, aim to reform Nigeria’s tax system, but have sparked intense debates, particularly among northern governors who oppose changes to the derivation-based Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution model.

House of Representatives member, Bamidele Salam, representing Ede North,South/Egbedero/Ejigbo constituency, Osun State, emphasized that withdrawing the bills would be counterproductive.

“I do not support those calling for the withdrawal of the bills. That would be akin to throwing out the baby with the bath water. There is no issue in the bills that cannot be corrected during public hearings and the subsequent legislative stages.

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“We should not delay this important reform as we did with the Petroleum Industry Bill, only to lose golden opportunities for two decades,” Salam said in a chat with Sunday Punch.

Another member, Oluwole Oke, representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, noted that the fate of the bills ultimately lies with federal lawmakers.

“In a democracy, the minority will have their say, and the majority will have their way. The representatives of the Nigerian people in Parliament will determine the fate of these four executive bills, not bystanders,” Oke said.

President Bola Tinubu has also declined the National Economic Council’s recommendation to withdraw the Proposed Tax Reforms Bill from the National Assembly.

The tax reform bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.