By Atoyebi Nike
Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the controversial Tax Reform Acts scheduled to take effect in January, amid mounting disputes over their passage.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, Ndume said the President should set up an ad hoc committee to verify claims that the tax laws were altered after being passed by the National Assembly. He warned that implementing the laws without resolving the allegations could undermine their legitimacy and erode public trust.
The Borno South senator noted that opposition figures, civil society organizations and the Nigerian Bar Association had all demanded a halt to the reforms pending clarification. He said suspending the laws would allow for a proper investigation into the alleged discrepancies and bring the controversy to an end.
Ndume’s call follows a warning by NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN), who said the controversy threatens the credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process. The debate intensified after a lawmaker, Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged that the version of the tax laws gazetted by the Federal Government differed from what was approved by the National Assembly.
