By Musa Baba Adamu
Minority Leader of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Abba Moro, has dismissed claims that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, overruled his deputy, Jibrin Barau, on the controversial Tax Reform Bills.
Akpabio had on Thursday while reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to advancing the Tax Reform Bills, said that no aspect of the controversial bills has been suspended or withdrawn.
Boro said the Senate remains focused on its mandate on representing the Nigerian people and will not be intimidated by external pressures.
This cams after Barau, who presided over the Senate plenary on Wednesday, unveiled a committee led by Moro to meet with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to address contentious issues in the bills.
Akpabio had said that even with the setting up of the special committee, the Senate remains steadfast in its legislative responsibilities.
The Senate President’s statement has been interpreted in some quarters as overruling his deputy.
Moro told Channels Television yesterday monitored in Abuja that there was no case of overruling by anyone.
“I don’t see it as an overruling as such. The Deputy Senate President presided over the session; on the next day, the Senate President presided over the session.
“This idea of setting up a committee, the idea of interfacing with the executive on the bills before the House was muted on Thursday the previous week.
“So, the list was drawn and of course under normal circumstances, adjustments are permissible and that is what was done.
“I think it doesn’t have any insinuation of one overruling the other, it’s just a mere adjustment of membership and procedures to adopt in the process,” Moro said
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