Reps summon INEC chairman over delay in conduct of bye-elections

•Set up special panel on tax reform bills

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives, yesterday, resolved to summon the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood, over the delay  to conduct bye-elections into vacant national and state assembly seats.

Consequently, the House mandated its Committee on Electoral Matters to investigate the electoral body over its inability to conduct the pending bye-elections.

The parliament, which took the resolution, following a motion by Jafaru Leko, also mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation  and report back to it within four weeks for further legislative action.

Leko, in his motion, informed the House that there were several vacant seats in both the national and state assemblies. He argued that failure of INEC to conduct by-elections to fill the seats have left the constituents in the affected areas without representations.

“Since the 2023 general and subsequent elections, there have been instances of resignations,  deaths, appointments, or appointments of former members of both the National and State Assemblies to executive positions.

“Section 68 of the Constitution provides for the cessation and vacation of seats of the National  Assembly, whereas section 76(2) stresses the need for a bye-election to be conducted not later than one month after the vacancy occurs;

“Upon the declaration of these seats as vacant, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is obligated, under the provisions of Section 76(2), to conduct bye-elections to fill the  vacant positions and ensure proper representation of the affected constituencies.”

The lawmaker added that “Nigeria practices a constitutional democracy that the continued vacancy of these seats, without the holding of timely Bye-elections results in the disenfranchisement of the affected, citizens, which constitutes a violation of the constitutional principles of representation and deprives the electorates of their right to adequate representation.

“The delay in conducting the bye-elections for the vacant seats is a contravention of constitutional provision, a breach of the due process and denial of the affected constituencies’ proper representation;

“This Electoral inaction from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) violates the principles of democracy and representative governance, leaving citizens unrepresented, and also obstructs legislative activities, as Committees and Plenary Sessions lack full participation from duly elected members.”

In another development, the House set up a special committee to conduct public hearings on the four tax reform bills, which scaled second reading last week.

The committee chaired by the chairman, House Committee on Finance, James Faleke, consisting of chairmen of the various caucuses and members of the finance committee, amongst others, is expected to hold a public hearing on the bills next week.

The House had approved the four bills for second  reading,  last  Wednesday, after a debate on the general principles of the proposed legislations, which lasted for over three  hours.

The proposed legislations, which were transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu  on October 3, 2024  include:  The Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024, The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024, The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024 -and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024.

The bills, which were earlier trailed by controversies and protests by Northern elders and state governors, are intended to reform tax administration in the country.

The key provisions of the tax reform bills are  increase in  Value Added Tax ( VAT) and the distribution of revenue to the states. Section 146 of the Nigeria Tax Bill provides for an increase in VAT from the current 7.5 percent to 10 percent in 2025, 12 . 5 percent in 2026- 2029 and 15 percent in 2030.

Also, Section 77 of the Tax administration bills states that revenue accruing from VAT shall be distributed on to the three tiers of government as follows: Federal Government- 10 percent; state government- 55 percent and local government 35 percent, “ provided that 60 percent of the amount standing to the credit of states and local governments shall be distributed among them on the basis of derivation.”