ANN slams FG over plan to increase VAT, says action show of wickedness

Patrick Okohue, Lagos

The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has slammed the Federal Government over the announcement to increase the Value Added Tax from the current 5% to 7.5%, saying the action is nothing but utter wickedness. Speaking on behalf of the party, the Director General of the Alliance for New Nigeria 2019 Presidential Campaign, Lanre Oyegbola, in a statement in Kano after the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highnesses Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II had received the Presidential campaign train of Mr Fela Durotoye and his running mate Kadijah Abdullahi Iya in his palace said the Federal Government APC led government is being insensitive to the plight of the common Nigerian. He reiterated that an additional 2.5% of VAT would automatically increase the shelf price of most items from the moment it’s implemented and this would create a ripple effect across both formal and informal sector. The Director General noted that the APC led government is a government that gives in one hand and collect with another hand and maintained that this has become obvious in the timing of the announced increase of the VAT. He wondered how anyone can explain the fact that whilst the President Muhammad Buhari led government is yet to finalise and agree to the minimum wage deal with labor, the same government is at the same time increasing the VAT. “On one hand it gives and collects on another, this is nothing but a show of deception and insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.” He therefore called on every Nigerian to ensure that they reject every form of deceit this government might bring to the table and stay through
the loud and unequivocal rejection for this kind of wickedness against the people of Nigeria to continue by ensuring that they vote against the twin of APC and PDP come February 16, 2019.