PDP Wants NASS To Stop New VAT Rate, Says Atiku Would Reduce Taxes

By Chuks Ekpeneru

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Thursday condemned the hike in the rate of Value Added Tax, VAT,  from 5% to 7.2%, as insensitive to the plight of ordinary Nigerians and called on the National Assembly to stop its implementation.

The party in a statement issued by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan said that it was an irony that at a time that Nigerians should have been enjoying the reduced tax promised under the economic blueprint of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar that Nigerians were now being compelled to take in additional burdens under the Muhammadu Buhari government.

The PDP said: “The PDP insists that the decision to increase VAT on already impoverished citizens is in bad faith and cannot be justified under any guise. Indeed, only an administration that does not have the mandate of the people can seek to adopt such oppressive stance against its citizens. 

 “President Buhari ought to be aware that an increase in VAT will worsen our decrepit economy and put more pressure on families and business as it will result in increase in costs of goods and services that have direct bearing on the welfare of the people.

“Our party charges the Buhari Presidency not to further punish Nigerians by imposing harsh tax regime to make up for its crass incompetence and lack of capacity to effectively harness and manage our resources to create wealth for the benefit of the people.

“It is even more painful that the Buhari Presidency cannot give account of the huge resources at its disposal, including the taxes it has been collecting in the last four years, most of which are frittered to service the wasteful lifestyle of the cabal at the Presidency and APC chieftains.

“Instead of foisting more tax burden on Nigerians, the PDP charges President Buhari to account for and recover the over N14 trillion oil money established to have been stolen under his watch in the last four years.

“It is disheartening that at the time Nigerians ought to be enjoying the economic recovery and empowerment blueprint set out by Atiku Abubakar, which included slash in taxes and levies, they are rather faced with an unjustifiable and indefensible tax increase.

“The PDP therefore urges the National Assembly to protect Nigerians and save our nation from collapse by rejecting this injurious decision by the Buhari Presidency.”

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