Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno South has called on President Bola Tinubu to put the implementation of the contentious Tax Reform Acts on hold, citing unresolved disputes over how the laws were processed and approved.
In a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja, Ndume, said the growing claims that the tax laws were altered after their passage by the National Assembly had generated widespread concern and warranted urgent attention from the Presidency.
Ndume’s intervention comes against the backdrop of mounting opposition from political actors and civil society groups, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), all of whom have urged the Federal Government to suspend the commencement of the new tax regime slated for January.
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The controversy also drew a strong reaction from the NBA.
On Tuesday, its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), warned that the lingering disputes over the tax laws could damage the credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process.
Osigwe said the allegations touch on the foundations of constitutional governance and stressed the need for an open and transparent probe to rebuild public trust.
Tensions escalated further last week when a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged that the version of the tax laws published by the Federal Government differed from the final document passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent.
Ndume, thereafter, urged President Tinubu to constitute an ad hoc committee to independently examine the versions of the tax laws and determine whether any unauthorised changes were made.
He cautioned that proceeding with implementation amid unresolved allegations could erode public confidence and raise questions about the legitimacy of the reforms.
Ndume said, “With the controversy surrounding it, the President should constitute a team to verify the veracity of the claim and act accordingly.
“As a responsive leader that he has always been, he should look into it to find out whether the claim of alterations was genuine so that he will do the needful to bring the controversy to rest.”
He warned that failure to address the concerns could stall the reforms entirely.
“If not, the controversy will continue. That is to say, the tax law will not be implemented, because you can’t build on nothing,” he said, adding that the President should suspend the implementation of the laws until the issues are fully resolved.
“So many civil society organisations, the Arewa Community, the Nigerian Bar Association, are saying that he should withdraw the Tax Law and investigate the allegation of forgery,” Ndume added.
“Therefore, Mr President should get to the root of the allegation of forgery.
“The small committee that will be set up should look into it while the House of Representatives does its own.”
