The Senate Speaker, Amason Kingi, has hinted that the conservatory orders imposed by the High Court suspending the Finance Act 2023 are against the public interest.
In his affidavit, Kingi alleges that the order issued has the effect of suspending the government’s revenue-raising efforts, thereby bringing the government to a standstill.
According to the speaker, the government faces serious consequences for the money lost in uncollected taxes as a result of the suspension of the Finance Act 2023’s implementation.
“If the conservatory orders remain in effect, the impugned tax is unlikely to be recovered, and this will cause a void in the operations or governance structure that, even for a short time, is likely to have very serious consequences for the citizenry,” asserts Kingi.
He now wants the court to set aside the orders on grounds that there is no imminent danger if they are set aside.
On whether the senate was involved in the Finance Act 2023, the speaker said that in consultation with the speaker of the National Assembly, they resolved that the Bill does not concern county governments and is therefore considered only in the National Assembly in accordance with the constitution.
He is accusing Okiya Omtatah and other petitioners for obtaining a letter improperly and producing it in court as evidence.
