President Tinubu lacks Constitutional powers to propose Tax Reform Bills, RMAFC challenges

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission RMAFC has challenged President Bola Tinubu, saying he lacks constitutional powers to propose reform through bills to the National Assembly.

RMAFC said, it is the agency that has constitutional powers to propose tax reform in Nigeria, adding that arguing that the Constitution empowers it to determine revenue sharing between the three tiers of government in Nigeria, hence, tax sharing as provided in the proposed reform falls within the powers of RMAFC.

Opposing the Tax Reform Bills, RMAFC on Monday submitted a 9-page memorandum to the National Assembly, explaining reasons legislators should not pass the bills.

The memorandum, signed by the commission’s chairman, Mohammed Bello Shehu, outlined a range of legal, constitutional, and technical objections to the proposed reforms.

Cititng relevant sections, Shehu said, “The Constitution designates RMAFC as the final authority on matters of revenue allocation,” the memorandum stated. “As such, no Act of Parliament, including the VAT Act, can infringe upon this constitutional responsibility. Any such attempt would constitute a violation of the Constitution.”