The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has vehemently opposed the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s alleged plan to involve the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) in the screening committee for the upcoming local government election in Kogi State.
In a statement released on Monday, CNPP Chairman Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi emphasized that tax clearance is not a valid criterion for candidate nomination in any democratic setting. He declared, “We totally reject the inclusion of KGIRS in the screening exercise for the forthcoming local government election in Kogi State.”
Abdullahi accused the APC of attempting to use KGIRS to intimidate or extort opposition parties by demanding fresh tax clearance and authentication.
He advised KGIRS to distance itself from the APC’s plan, emphasizing that their involvement would be inappropriate and undemocratic.”
“Tax clearance is never a criteria for nomination of candidates in any democratic setting. CNPP rejects in totality the inclusion of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service for the screening exercise in the forthcoming Local Government election in Kogi State.
“We advised the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service to kindly tell the good people of Kogi State what they have been using the money generated from the state for?
“We have visited other states and we can categorically tell you that courtesy of the Internally Generated revenue, (IGR) of their state they were able to fix their roads, subsidized the electrification bills to the indigene and in most cases making sure the frustrated citizens get a good pipe born water…..
“In Kogi State, the reverse is the case. Here in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, for more than five years, Kogi State water board has not been working and yet we kept on generating revenue that has no meaningful impacts on the citizens.
“The Kogi State internal Revenue Service who are dancing to the tune of their pay master is a meddlesome interloper as they are making frantic efforts to disqualify genuine Candidates of other political parties who they believe will defeat them in the forthcoming election.
“The present administration in Kogi State should come out plain that they don’t want other political parties to contest this Local Government election. Why coming up with draconian policies that is anti democratic just because they are looking for a way to push other parties out of the race? CNPP will not accept this.
“We are calling on the appropriate authority to retrace their steps and ensure that all political parties are given the level playing grounds to contest in the upcoming election. The ruling party has lost their popularity that is why they are jittering on what will be the outcome of the October 19th Local Government election in Kogi State”.