Borno South Senator Ali Ndume has challenged Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s assurance that the new tax law is unaltered, describing the legislation as fundamentally flawed. Ndume raised concerns over discrepancies between at least two different Gazette versions of the law, highlighting that the version passed by the National Assembly differs from the one signed by the President.

Ndume criticized the handling of the process, stressing the importance of transparency. “You cannot build on nothing or on disputed grounds. Even the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Tax Reform, Taiwo Oyedele, admitted there are at least two versions of the law,” he said. He emphasized that the leadership should have set up a committee to investigate the differences.

The senator expressed concern over the lack of public involvement and secrecy surrounding the tax legislation. He noted that the House of Representatives has already taken steps to examine the discrepancies, urging the Senate leadership to follow suit to ensure clarity and legal certainty.

Ndume warned that the contradictions in the new tax regime could lead to legal challenges in the courts, saying, “What if somebody now goes to court? The court will listen to them. This process is full of contradiction and controversy and cannot be ignored.”