By Richard Elesho
Lokoja – 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 is not a witch hunt but routine and in compliance with the law.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on Tuesday raised alarm that KGIRS had written it, requesting for payment of N37.5million before it is allowed to display billboard and posters of its candidates in the ongoing electioneering campaigns.
In a statement, the party’s Director of Media and Communications, Comrade Dayo Onibiyo, the PDP described the move as political hostility.
“The party refers to the letter captioned ‘Demand Notice of N37.5mln on Signage Fee for Your Party’s Campaign Posters Across Kogi State’ with reference number KGIRS/MDA/Vol. 13/13095, dated 24th October, 2022.
“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 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.”
But Acting Executive Director, KIGRS, Sule Salihu Enehe at a Press Briefing in Lokoja on Wednesday said 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.
He added that parties which have misgivings about the letter are free to seek clarifications from the service.
