Former Senate Leader and senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has raised alarm over alleged inconsistencies in the recently signed tax reform laws, accusing the federal government of treating Nigerians with disregard.
His remarks came after Abdussamad Dasuki, a member of the House of Representatives, claimed that the tax reform bills passed by lawmakers were not the same as the versions later released to the public.
Speaking on Prime Time on Arise TV on Wednesday, Ndume said the controversy surrounding the legislation was deepening.
He revealed that Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the Presidential Committee on Tax Reforms, had admitted to the existence of “differentials” and confirmed that at least two versions of the law were in circulation.
Ndume explained that Oyedele acknowledged that any correction must be carried out by the National Assembly, reinforcing concerns that the process was flawed from the beginning.
Transparency Issues
Responding to Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s assertion that there were no discrepancies, Ndume dismissed the claim as a personal opinion.
He insisted that his own findings, along with the House of Representatives’ position, pointed to unresolved issues.
He stressed that lawmakers had not denied the discrepancies and noted that the House was still investigating the matter.
Ndume said his major concern was not only the inconsistencies but also what he described as a lack of transparency in governance.
“This is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Things should not be done behind closed doors,” he said.
Ndume urged the leadership of the National Assembly to openly address the issue, insisting that lawmakers should be free to express dissent without being branded as rebels.
He warned that laws built on disputed grounds risk being overturned in court.
Doubts Over Take off Date
The senator also rejected claims that the tax reforms were already being implemented, arguing that implementation was impossible when multiple versions of the same law existed.
“With different versions out there, which one are they implementing?” he asked.
Ndume further accused the government of personalising national issues and cautioned that failure to resolve the controversy could have serious consequences.
“The president is a servant of the people. Nigerians are not servants of the president. If this is not fixed, it will come back to haunt them,” he warned.
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