Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the January 1, 2026, implementation of the country’s new tax laws amid growing controversy.

The federal lawmaker made the appeal in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

This comes as the Nigerian Bar Association demanded the suspension of the implementation.

Recall that a member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki, had last week called the Parliament’s attention to alleged alteration to the tax laws.

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Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, in an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, called for calm over claims of alterations in tax laws and urged Nigerians to allow lawmakers to complete their investigation before drawing conclusions.

Speaking on the ongoing controversy about the tax laws, Ndume noted that proceeding with the implementation without getting to the root of the alleged forgery will create a legitimacy challenge for the tax laws.

His statement read, “With the controversy surrounding it, the President should constitute a team to verify the veracity of the claim and act accordingly.

“As the responsive leader that he has always been, he should look at it to find out if the copy that was signed and the claim of alterations are genuine so that he will do the needful to bring the controversy to rest.

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“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 organizations, 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.”

Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, representing Sokoto South, has called on residents of Sokoto State to remain calm following reports of United States airstrikes targeting ISIS-linked terrorists on Christmas Day.

In a statement posted on his personal X account, the former Sokoto State governor said he was aware of reports concerning the airstrikes, which marked a direct US military action in Nigeria based on intelligence about ISWAP threats, and urged citizens to remain law-abiding while authorities clarify the situation.

“I have noted the reports concerning an airstrike carried out as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts through cooperation between the federal government of Nigeria and the United States,” Tambuwal said. “I urge our communities to remain calm and law abiding as relevant authorities clarify the circumstances surrounding the operation.”

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Tambuwal assured constituents that he was engaging with relevant security agencies to obtain full details of the operation and to ensure that necessary things were in place to protect civilians.

“I wish to assure the people of Sokoto South that I am in active talks with relevant security authorities to obtain full details and ensure that all necessary safeguards are upheld,” he added.

The senator emphasised that counterterrorism operations were aimed strictly at criminal and terrorist elements threatening public safety, not innocent civilians who are often victims of insecurity. He stressed that the protection of civilian lives must remain central to all legitimate security actions.

He further called on community leaders, traditional institutions and residents to work closely with security agencies by sharing credible intelligence and resisting misinformation capable of causing fear or heightening tension.

No fewer than 12 Tomahawk missiles were on December 25 launched against terrorists in Sokoto State by the United States military.

Rep Riley M. Moore, the lawmaker representing Virginia’s Second District in the Congress, confirmed this in an interview with Fox News.

The US military operated in Sokoto State on Christmas night, bombing terrorists killing innocent people in parts of Nigeria.

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Some security analysts claimed on Friday that the operation was unsuccessful and had no significant impacts on the targeted terrorists.

According to them, the airstrikes landed in safe places including farms where there was no history of terrorists’ hideout.

But details began to emerge on Friday night, indicating that several terrorists were killed during the joint operations between the US army and it’s Nigerian counterpart.

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Moore said: “This year, thanks to President Trump, Radical Islamic Terrorists were on the receiving end of 12 Tomahawk missiles as a present.

“The successful strikes on ISIS, in coordination with the Nigerian government, is just the first step to secure the country and end the slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Christ”.

DAILY POST reports that residents of Sokoto State have been panicking since the US military operation.