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Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned the Federal Government against plans to release N7 billion Value Added Tax (VAT) refund to the Bayelsa State government, claiming that it would deploy the fund to votes buying for the election.
While expressing doubt over the judicious deployment of the fund for its purpose few weeks to the election, the national leadership of the party pleaded with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, to delay the approval until after the conduct of the election in the state.
The appeal was made by the APC’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.
“There is a N7 billion VAT refund to Bayelsa State awaiting the approval of the Minister of Finance. The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has committed to a commercial bank to give him the N7 billion with an agreement that the ministry would, in turn, pay the money to them,” the APC chieftain disclosed.
He further argued that if the money is released to the outgoing government in the state, it would not serve the purpose it is meant to achieve.
