Amid growing controversy over Nigeria’s recently enacted Tax Reform Acts, former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend the planned January implementation of the laws.
Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, made the appeal in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, urging the President to intervene decisively to resolve allegations of discrepancies in the final documents.
He warned that moving forward with implementation while questions remain could undermine the legitimacy of the reforms and weaken public confidence in the legislative process.
The new tax laws, set to take effect from January, have sparked intense debate after opposition politicians, civil society organisations, and professional bodies raised concerns that the versions assented to by the President may differ from what was passed by the National Assembly.
The controversy has widened to involve the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, opposition parties, regional groups, and lawmakers.
Last week, House of Representatives member Abdussamad Dasuki formally drew attention to alleged discrepancies between the tax bills passed by the National Assembly and the copies later gazetted by the federal government.
Dasuki claimed that material alterations were made after parliamentary approval, raising questions about the integrity of the lawmaking process.
Reacting to the development, Ndume urged President Tinubu to constitute an ad hoc committee to verify the allegations and halt implementation until the matter is conclusively resolved.
While the House of Representatives has set up its own committee to investigate Dasuki’s claims, Ndume cautioned that proceeding without addressing the concerns could trigger a legitimacy crisis for the tax regime.
“Given the controversy surrounding these laws, the President should constitute a team to verify the claims and act accordingly.
“As a responsive leader, he should ensure the copy signed aligns with what the National Assembly passed.
”If any alterations are confirmed, corrective action must be taken to resolve the issue, ” Ndume said.
The former Senate Chief Whip warned that unresolved allegations of forgery or manipulation would make effective implementation difficult, if not impossible.
“If not addressed, the controversy will continue, and the tax law cannot be implemented because you cannot build on uncertainty,” he added.
In a related development, NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN) stated that the controversy threatens the transparency, integrity, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process. Ndume aligned himself with this position, emphasising that the January timeline should not be treated as fixed.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) issued a strong statement cautioning that it will not accept a tax system that neglects workers and ordinary Nigerians.
In a Christmas message, NLC President Joe Ajaero reaffirmed the labour movement’s commitment to an egalitarian society that prioritizes the majority rather than a privileged few.
“Any tax system that excludes workers in its formulation and enactment is unjust and should be rejected. It is better to patiently craft a broadly accepted law than rush into one riddled with errors and political manipulation,” the NLC statement said.
The labour union also called for a secure and stable nation where citizens can carry out their businesses without fear, urging Nigerians to promote love, unity, and collective action against corruption, exploitation, insecurity, and bad governance.
“Self-love and collective strength are critical in protecting our interests, wages, pensions, and dignity.
”From this foundation, we can extend the light of love and justice throughout Nigeria,” Ajaero added.
