Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied that further legislative action on the four controversial tax reform bills has neither been suspended nor withdrawn.
Akpabio, who presided over the plenary on Thursday said the Senate was committed to seeing the Tax Reform Bills through.
He said no aspect of the legislative process had been suspended or withdrawn.
Akpabio said the tax bills were from the executive arm of government, adding that nobody can withdraw it except President Bola Tinubu who transmitted the four bills to the National Assembly.
The Senate president’s clarification is coming a day after senators from the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, under the aegis of South- South Senators’ Forum, expressed their support for the tax reform bills.
The senators also passed a vote of confidence in Akpabio; and urged South-South governors to synergise with lawmakers to fine tune the bills and to be on the same page.
It was widely reported in the media on Thursday that Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the plenary on Wednesday, had said the lawmakers suspended public hearing and legislative work on the bills to allow for wider consultations.
He raised a 10-man committee, led by Senator Abba Moro, to engage with the Attorney General of the Federation
Meanwhile, the Senate has removed Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno from the membership of the 10- man committee.
The leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, announced Monguno’s removal and was replaced with Senator Shehu Kaka.
