The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday called on the Federal Government not to release N7 billion Value Added Tax (VAT) refund to Bayelsa State Government.
A statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yekini Nabena, in Abuja on Thursday, said that this would prevent vote-buying before and during November 16 governorship election in the state.
He said that if the money was withheld, it would prevent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led-government from diverting the money for the election of its governorship candidate.
“Therefore, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, should delay approval of a N7 billion VAT refund to the Bayelsa Government until after the November 16 governorship election.
“Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa has committed to a commercial bank to give him the N7 billion with an agreement that the ministry will in turn pay the money to them,” NAN quoted him as saying.
He added that if the money was released to the outgoing government in the state, it would not serve the purpose it was meant to achieve.
Nabena alleged that Dickson has been trying to raise money through diversion of state funds to fund the election of the governorship candidate of PDP.
However, only recently, President Muhammadu Buhari was seeking National Assembly’s approval of N10 billion refund for Kogi State which is also heading for governorship election in November. Kogi is under the leadership of the APC.
