Ndume calls for suspension of tax laws over alteration claims

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the implemen­tation of the disputed Tax Reform Acts scheduled to take effect in Jan­uary, amid growing controversy over their passage.

Ndume made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, following claims and count­er-claims over alleged alterations to the tax laws after their passage by the National Assembly.

The appeal comes amid pro­tests by opposition politicians and civil society organisations, includ­ing the Nigerian Bar Association, which have demanded that the Federal Government halt the im­plementation of the laws.

Reacting, Ndume, who rep­resents Borno South Senatorial District, urged Tinubu to set up an ad hoc committee to verify the authenticity of the laws and inves­tigate the alleged alterations.

The former Senate Chief Whip warned that implementing the laws without resolving the allega­tions would create legitimacy chal­lenges and undermine public trust.

He 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.

“If not, the controversy will continue. That is to say, the tax law will not be implemented, because you can’t build on nothing. So, Mr. President should suspend the implementation until the issues are resolved because so many civil society organisations, the Arewa community, the Nigerian Bar Association are saying that he should withdraw the tax laws and investigate the allegation of forgery.

“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.”