Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in and settle the dispute over the new Tax Act before it takes effect on January 1.
The issue started when a member of the House of Representatives claimed that the version of the Act passed by the National Assembly is different from the one the President later published.
In a statement from Abuja on Wednesday, Ndume called on President Tinubu to pause the planned rollout so a full investigation can be done into the claims and counterclaims about changes to the tax laws. He suggested setting up a special committee to look into the matter and warned that moving forward without clearing this up could weaken the law’s credibility and make it hard to enforce.
Ndume stressed the importance of the President checking if the law he signed was changed. He pointed out that many groups, including civil society organizations, the Arewa community, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), want the law withdrawn until a proper investigation is completed.
The NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), also said the controversy could harm the trust and honesty of Nigeria’s lawmaking process and called for a full investigation.
Ndume’s request matches the growing demands from politicians, civil groups, and legal experts to stop the Tax Act until all issues are fixed. He recommended forming a small team to investigate the alleged forgery alongside the ongoing House of Representatives probe to make sure everything is clear and fair.
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