“You Can’t Build On Nothing”: Ndume Urges Tinubu To Suspend Tax Law Implementation Pending Investigation Into Forgery Allegations

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take steps to resolve the controversy surrounding the new Tax Act before its implementation.

The controversy erupted after a member of the House of Representatives raised the alarm that the version of the Act passed by the National Assembly is not the one gazetted by President Tinubu.

This prompted the House to set up a committee to investigate the allegation, given the proposed January 1st implementation date.

In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, Ndume appealed to the President to shelve the January implementation date to allow for a thorough investigation into claims and counterclaims regarding alleged alterations to the tax laws.

He made the appeal amidst calls by politicians, civil society organisations, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for the suspension of the Act.

Specifically, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) warned that the controversies threaten the integrity, transparency, and credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process, calling for a comprehensive investigation.

In his appeal, Ndume urged President Tinubu to constitute an ad-hoc team to investigate the allegations, saying that proceeding with implementation without resolving the issue would create legitimacy challenges for the tax laws.

He said:
“As a responsive leader, he should look into whether the copy that was signed is genuine and whether the claims of alterations are valid, so that he can do the needful to bring the controversy to rest. If not, the controversy will continue. That is to say, the tax law cannot 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, and the Nigerian Bar Association are saying that he should withdraw the Tax Law 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 investigation.”

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