Politics

NASS to receive Tinubu’s tax reforms committee report September

Published

2 years ago

May 14, 2024

The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee says it will transmit its policy recommendations to the National Assembly by the end of Q3 2024.

These include new National Tax and Borrowing Policies to be implemented in September and new proposals to amend the Constitution, which would take effect from 2025.

The committee led by Taiwo Oyedele announced that his team had closed its proposal phase and is now “consulting with the private sector” for the rest of May.

The Committee expects to secure internal approvals from the Federal Executive Council, National Economic Council and other organs of government “up until the end of June.”

He explained, “We envisage by the Quarter Three, our documents will be ready to go to the National Assembly and by the end of that Q3.

“We should have them enacted into law so we can give reasonable notice to the public, businesses and individuals before commencement for many of them kick off in 2025. But where we have executive orders and directive regulations that don’t require enactment into law, we just need the ministers to sign.

“For instance, we have a new withholding tax regulation where small businesses will be exempt from having to deduct withholding tax. So it’s ready; we’re waiting for the final signature.”

The tax reforms chief hinted about a new National Tax Policy and a Spending Policy that would dictate government spending as well as a Borrowing Policy “so that the social contract with the people is delivered to them in a meaningful way.”

“So, all of that will happen before the end of the year. But where we are enacting the law and proposals to amend the Constitution, that will happen in 2025 and, maybe, 2026 because I think the timeline that the National Assembly has is about two years,” he explained.

Oyedele argued that these processes are necessary to ensure that the “reforms can be enduring and sustained,” adding, “We don’t want this whole effort to go down the drain, after one or two years if somebody comes with a different idea and introduces new taxes. We have to fix this problem once and for all.”

Fielding questions on the foreseeable tax threshold for small businesses, he said after the deploying considering its data, the Committee has agreed that “if you earn N25m a year or less, you don’t have to pay company income tax, you don’t have to worry about VAT.”

He said, “The informal sector is people who are trying to earn a legitimate living”; therefore, “we should allow them to be and support them to grow to a point where they can then have the ability to pay taxes.”

Consequently, “We think that 95 per cent of the informal sector should be legally exempted from all taxes; withholding tax, company income tax, even payee on their staff. Let them be.

“We can then focus our attention on the top 5 per cent of that sector and, of course, the middle class and the elites. We think the days of being above the law in paying taxes are over.

“This is the same thing we’re saying to our leaders, whether elected or appointed; we think they have to lead by example by showing that they have paid the taxes, not only on time but correctly to the lawful authorities as contained in the various laws.”

The Oyedele-led Committee said it is “very convinced” that the government needs to increase the exemption threshold for small businesses such as for low-income earners, because “if you can’t make ends meet, the last thing you want is someone asking you to pay tax and we don’t think that is right.”

On the policy flaws entrenched in the controversial Cybersecurity Levy, Oyedele called for patience from the Nigerians battling multiple taxations, saying, These problems will not disappear overnight. It’s a work in progress.”

He stated, “As we progress from ideation, proposal to implementation, you’ll see less and less of those issues.”
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Politics

Electoral Reform: Dino alleges senate’s plot to rig 2027 election

Published

52 minutes ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former lawmaker, Dino Melaye Esq, has raised concerns over the Senate’s reported rejection of the electronic transmission of election results.

The move, according to Melaye, is a clear endorsement of election rigging and an indication of a sinister plan to rig the 2027 elections.

In a statement on Friday, the former lawmaker criticized the Senate’s decision, stating that it undermines the credibility of the electoral process.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC chieftain, also stated that the move opens the door for electoral manipulation and fraud.

He further warned that the rejection of electronic transmission of results is a step backwards for democracy in Nigeria.

Melaye called on lawmakers and citizens to stand up against “this blatant attempt to undermine the will of the people and ensure that future elections are free, fair, and transparent”.

Politics

Electoral Act: Nigerians have every reason to be mad at Senate – Ezekwesili

Published

3 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has said Nigerians have every reason to be mad at the Senate over the ongoing debate on e-transmission of election results.

Ezekwesili made this known on Friday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ monitored by DAILY POST.

DAILY POST reports that the Senate on Wednesday turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill that aimed to compel the electronic transmission of election results.

Reacting to the matter, Ezekwesili said, “The fundamental issue with the review of the Electoral Act is that the Senate retained the INEC 2022 Act, Section 60 Sub 5.

“This section became infamous for the loophole it provided INEC, causing Nigerians to lose trust. Since the law established that it wasn’t mandatory for INEC to transmit electoral results in real-time, there wasn’t much anyone could say.

“Citizens embraced the opportunity to reform the INEC Act, aiming to address ambiguity and discretionary opportunities for INEC. Yet, the Senate handled it with a “let sleeping dogs lie” approach. The citizens have every reason to be as outraged as they currently are.”

Politics

Electoral act: Senate’s action confirms Nigeria ‘fantastically corrupt’, ‘disgraced’ – Peter Obi

Published

4 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has condemned the Senate’s refusal to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory, saying the move further exposes Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt and disgraced country.

Obi expressed his views in a statement shared on X on Friday, where he accused lawmakers of deliberately weakening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He explained that his reaction came after a brief pause to mourn victims of a deadly tragedy in Kwara State, where over 150 people reportedly lost their lives.

“Let us first pray for the souls of the innocent Nigerians lost in Kwara. That painful incident is why I delayed responding to the shameful development surrounding our electoral system,” he wrote.

Describing the Senate’s decision as intentional and dangerous, Obi said rejecting mandatory electronic transmission was not a simple oversight but a calculated attempt to block transparency.

“The Senate’s open rejection of electronic transmission of results is an unforgivable act of electoral manipulation ahead of 2027,” he said.

According to him, the action strikes at the heart of democracy and raises serious questions about the true purpose of governance in Nigeria.

“This failure to pass a clear safeguard is a direct attack on our democracy. By refusing these transparency measures, the foundation of credible elections is being destroyed. One must ask whether government exists to ensure justice and order or to deliberately create chaos for the benefit of a few.”

The former Anambra State governor linked the post-election controversies of the 2023 general elections to the failure to fully deploy electronic transmission of results, insisting that Nigerians were misled with claims of technical failures.

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The confusion, disputes and manipulation that followed the 2023 elections were largely due to the refusal to fully implement electronic transmission,” he said.

He added that the so-called system glitch never truly existed.

Obi compared Nigeria’s electoral process with those of other African countries that have embraced technology to improve credibility, lamenting that Nigeria continues to fall behind.

“Many African nations now use electronic transmission to strengthen their democracy. Yet Nigeria, which calls itself the giant of Africa, is moving backwards and dragging the continent along.”

He criticised Nigeria’s leadership class, saying the country’s problems persist not because of a lack of ideas but because of deliberate resistance to meaningful reform.

“We keep organising conferences and writing policy papers about Nigeria’s challenges. But the truth is that the leaders and elite are the real problem. Our refusal to change is pushing the nation backwards into a primitive system of governance.”

Warning of the dangers ahead, Obi said rejecting electronic transmission creates room for confusion and disorder that only serves the interests of a small group.

He also recalled past remarks by foreign leaders who described Nigeria as corrupt, arguing that actions like this continue to justify those statements.

“When a former UK Prime Minister described Nigeria as ‘fantastically corrupt,’ we were offended. When former US President Donald Trump called us a ‘disgraced nation,’ we were angry. But our continued resistance to transparency keeps proving them right.”

Obi warned that Nigerians should not accept a repeat of the electoral irregularities witnessed in 2023.

“Let there be no mistake. The criminality seen in 2023 must not be tolerated in 2027.”

He urged citizens to be ready to defend democracy through lawful and decisive means, while also calling on the international community to closely monitor developments in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“The international community must pay attention to the groundwork being laid for future electoral manipulation, which threatens our democracy and development,” Obi stated.

He concluded by expressing hope that change is still possible if Nigerians take collective responsibility.

“A new Nigeria is possible but only if we all rise and fight for it.”