KGIRS Absolves Bello of Complicity in Discharge of Duties, Says Agency is Guided by Law

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

The acting Chairman of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS), Sule Salihu Enehi, has absolved the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, from any complicity in the discharge of his constitutional responsibility, noting that KGIRS is established by law, and is operating within the ambit of the law.

Enehi, who was reacting to the insinuation by the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that KGIRS was witch-hunting the opposition parties by asking them to pay for advertisements and billboards.

The acting chairman pointed out that Kogi State Internal Revenue Service has not been established to witch-hunt anybody, stressing that the revenue service was saddled with the responsibility of collecting taxes and issuing tax clearance, and has nothing to do with politics as exemplified by the frivolous allegation by the PDP.

According to him, “What we are doing in Kogi State Internal Revenue Service is implementing the law that was promulgated by the state government. A law to provide for regulation of outdoor structures for display signage, hoarding and advertisement in Kogi State and other matters connected therewith 2022.”

He maintained that following the signing into law, the KGIRS has swung into action and written to inform all the political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other agencies operating in the state.

He decried the insinuation making the rounds that the law was targeted at PDP, and that the KGIRS has turned itself to INEC by demanding verification of tax clearance.

The chairman pointed out that any action taken by the revenue service has a constitutional backing, saying: “Section 85 (2) of Personal Income Tax 2021 as amended, vests the power to verify tax clearance certificate by the issuing tax authority.”

He disclosed that obtaining a tax clearance through misrepresentation, forgery, or falsification, according to the law, is guilty of an offence and such, an offender is liable for prosecution.

Earlier, the KGIRS has written to the PDP, APC, and other political parties demanding the sum of N37 million being the signage fees for the party’s campaign poster across the state.

The letter dated October 24 with reference number: KIRS/MDA/Vol/13095 is expected to cover all elective positions being contested.