The controversy surrounding the tax reform bills President Bola Tinubu submitted to the National Assembly caused commotion on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Trouble started when a lawmaker from Ekiti state, Akin Rotimi, veered off the motion for consideration of two reports he was to submit when he said Ekiti state was the first to adopt the tax reform bills.
He said, “Mr Speaker, I am from Ekiti State, the first state whose National Assembly caucus has unanimously endorsed the tax bills.”
Immediately after making these remarks, his colleagues shouted him and prevented him from completing his sentence as they shouted “No, no thereafter”.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that the session became rowdy making it difficult for the Speaker Abbas Tajudeen to restore order as members vowed that the report would not be laid.
The Speaker waded in, saying, “He is expressing his personal opinion”, just as the Ekiti lawmaker reminded his colleagues that he had the protection of the presiding officer.
Abbas’ remarks that “He (Rotimi) was just talking on a lighter note. Let’s not take it seriously,” failed to calm the angry lawmakers.
Rotimi said, “My introduction does not affect the substantive matter,” just as the speaker urged him to be restricted “to the person you are representing here. We are not talking about tax bills.”
With barely no way for him, he said, “Hon colleagues, I withdraw the introduction. Mr Speaker, I withdraw the introduction. I will introduce myself properly. Mr Speaker, can I have the opportunity to speak?”
The speaker thereafter took over, saying “Mr Speaker, you know this (tax bill) is a controversial issue. I don’t want you to be mentioning things that are not relevant to the subject matter. On your behalf, I withdraw that statement that you have made.”
