From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State has lambasted the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) for allegedly using the state’s revenue service to witch-hunt the opposition party ahead of the 2023 general elections to pay outrageous bills for billboards, complaining that the action is wicked, uncivilized and undemocratic.
The Kogi State Inland Revenue Service (KIRS) had written the PDP demanding the sum of N37 million being the signage fees for the Party’s campaign poster across the state.
The letter dated 24th October with reference number KIRS/MDA/Vol/13095 is expected to cover all elective positions being contested.
A breakdown of the fees indicates that the presidential candidates have been billed N10 million while the three senatorial candidates Will pay two million naira each.
For the House of Representatives and the state assembly, they are to pay N1 million and 500,000 respectively
However, the Peoples Democratic Party in a statement berated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for engaging in acts inimical to the growth of Democracy, saying the Kogi State government’s request for 37.5million Naira from the main opposition party before it is allowed to display billboard and posters of its candidate in the ongoing electioneering campaigns was wicked
In a statement signed by the party’s Director of Media and Communications, Comrade Dayo Onibiyo, PDP described the move as political hostility targeted against it
The letter reads in parts:
“The APC government under Yahaya Bello in the state slammed this figure on the PDP, through a letter dated 24th October 2022 which the party received today, the 8th of November, 2022.
“The state government issued a notice of fourteen (14) days as an ultimatum for such payments to be made and went ahead to threaten legal action against the party, as signed by Sule Salihu Enehe, the acting Executive Chairman for Kogi Internal Revenue Services (KGIRS).
“The harsh and unprogressive development is selective and targeted at PDP due to the party’s wide acceptability and rising profile that has put the APC in jeopardy, sending jitters down their spine.
“In all our days in government, we never for once, denied any party, including the APC, the right or access to the right of expression or campaigns before, during or after elections.
“This is a sad, cruel and uncivilized approach to democracy in the 21st century by those who should know better. Why are they afraid?,” the statement added
But the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, KGIRS, has clarified that its recent letter to political parties, asking for mandatory payment of signage fees and tax clearance for their candidates was not a witch hunt but a routine and in compliance with the law.
The clarification was provided by Acting Executive Director of the Service, Sule Salihu Enehe at a Press Briefing in his office saying contrary to the impression being created that the action was plotted by the state government and targeted at opposition political parties, it was done in the public interest.
He noted that the Act that empowered the Service on the mission was signed into law by Governor Yahaya Bello in September and insisted that it would be implemented to the letter. He said all political parties including the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC were served with the letter.
He however said the two weeks ultimatum issued for compliance with the letter starts counting from the date it was delivered and not when it was written, adding that parties that have misgivings about the letter are free to seek clarifications from the service.