By NAOMI SHARANG

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said that the tax laws which took effect in January were not adulterated.

Akpabio made the clarification during plenary on Wednesday, dismissing speculations that there were other versions of the laws in circulation.

He said: “I understand that there is another version that was circulating around, which was not in compliance with what was contained in our votes and proceedings.

“There is no adulteration. So I mean at this stage now, you can feel bold enough to discard anything that is to the contrary.

“There are about four Acts. So the four Acts are ready and gazetted, and signed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and certified by the Clerk to the National Assembly to avoid confusion,” he said.

Consequently, Akpabio mandated the Clerk of the Senate to distribute the gazetted copies of the Tax Reform Acts signed by the president to all the senators.

“So every senator is expected to go home with one today. And then those who are not here, we will distribute them directly to the senators.

“This Act should not be given to any other person. It must be given by the Clerk to the Senate and certified by the Clerk of the National Assembly to avoid any confusion.

“So, you take it directly from us. This has taken cognizance of what happened in the House of Representatives, in the votes and proceedings. And also what happened in the Senate and what happened in the committee on harmonisation, and signed by Mr President,” he said.

Also at plenary, the upper chamber deferred the consideration of the report of the Committee on Electoral Matters to enable lawmakers study it.

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, had said that the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Simon Lalong, was not immediately available.

“But copies have been circulated. We will allow senators to go home with the report and study it, and when we come tomorrow, we will hold a brief closed-door session and debate the critical clauses of the bill and pass it,” Bamidele stated.

In his response, Akpabio said: “We don’t need to rush the report. We will take our time and do the needful, and ensure justice is done for all and sundry”. (NAN)

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