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Ndume urges suspension of tax laws amid alteration claims
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Calls for ad hoc probe to verify authenticity of tax legislation
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NBA, civil society groups warn controversy threatens legislative credibility
Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the recently passed Tax Reform Acts, following allegations that the laws were altered after approval by the National Assembly.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Ndume said the disputed tax laws, scheduled to take effect in January, have generated widespread concern and protests from opposition figures and civil society organisations, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
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He urged the President to constitute a small ad hoc committee to verify the authenticity of the laws and investigate claims that the version gazetted by the Federal Government differs from what lawmakers passed.
According to Ndume, proceeding with the implementation without resolving the allegations could undermine the credibility of the laws and erode public trust in the legislative process.
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“With the controversy surrounding it, the President should constitute a team to verify the veracity of the claims and act accordingly,” Ndume said, stressing that unresolved doubts could stall implementation entirely.
He warned that failure to address the issue would prolong public resistance, noting that several groups, including the NBA and regional organisations, have called for a suspension pending investigation into alleged forgery.
Ndume added that while the proposed presidential committee conducts its probe, the House of Representatives should also carry out its own review to ensure transparency and accountability.
The controversy intensified last week after a lawmaker, Abdussamad Dasuki, alleged that the final version of the tax laws gazetted by the Federal Government was not the same as the copy approved by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent.
Earlier, NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN) warned that the dispute poses a serious threat to constitutional governance, calling for an open and transparent investigation to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s lawmaking process.
