The Democratic Front (TDF) has accused the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, of desperation in a bid to undermine the new tax laws.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group accused the former Anambra governor of ignorantly jumping on issues raised by a notable audit firm on the tax reforms, KPMG.
It said : “We are, however, not surprised that a politician who thrives on soundbites like Peter Obi, whose political value has been grossly reduced to media headlines, will hastily assume that a KPMG advisory implies imperfections in the tax law that should warrant the suspension of the law.
“It is indeed irresponsible and unethical that Peter Obi did not even wait to know the outcome of KMPG’s meeting with the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) over the observations raised in the newsletter, before he rushed into the public space with his uninformed opinion.
“TDF is, however, ecstatic that the meeting of seasoned tax administrators between the NRS and the KMPG delegation has helped the accounting firm to better understand the new tax laws before releasing the statement, which Obi hastily weaponised to create public doubt and distrust around the new tax law.
“We believe that KMPG’s appreciation and commendation for the new tax law and its implementation by the government was a bitter pill for Peter Obi and his gang of spin doctors, who have perfected the art of undermining the truth to promote negative narratives about Nigeria.
“It is to the credit of the Tinubu administration and Nigeria, that the KMPG team concluded by saying the initial apprehension over the tax laws has been significantly allayed by clarifications from the NRS.
“And that the ongoing economic reforms and tax laws are both necessary and timely.
“Obi and his band of revisionists would no doubt be disappointed further to know that KMPG formally expressed regrets over its initial misunderstanding of some provisions of the tax law and pledged its continuous professional engagement in support of an effective tax administration in Nigeria.”
The group accused the former governor of hypocrisy especially as he presided over a tax policy that impoverished his people.
“For historical reference, we want to recall that, as governor, Peter Obi implemented a harsh tax policy that was devoid of human face, without consideration for the unemployed and the underage, in Anambra State.
“This particular maladministration by his government triggered an increase in the poverty rate in the state from 41.4% in 2003 to 53.7% in 2009.
“And, this he did at a time he moved his personal funds to tax havens abroad, a development that was later exposed in the Pandora Papers published by an international consortium of Journalists.
“The public reaction that greeted Obi’s harsh tax policy in Anambra State was spontaneous.
“We recall that Eke Awka market traders closed the entire market and staged a massive demonstration on the 11th of June 2013.
“Subsequently, over one thousand traders stormed the Anambra State House of Assembly complex to demand a reversal of his harsh levies, and the impeachment of Peter Obi as governor.
“Therefore, if Obi is impulsively encouraged by his selective amnesia and innate hypocrisy to think that Nigerians would oppose a policy that graciously exempts the poor and low-income earners from paying tax, he’s committing a grave mistake.
“Because the new tax law was subjected to public scrutiny and broad stakeholder- consultations across the national spectrum before it was legislated into law through a transparent and democratic process.
“No tax law or policy in Nigeria’s history was exposed to public inquest and robust engagement like the new tax law, ” it added.
TDF insisted that no tax law in the country’s history had been subjected to the sort of scrutiny it was subjected to.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
