Election: APC urges FG to withhold Bayelsa N7bn VAT refund

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the Federal Government not to release N7 billion Value Added Tax (VAT) refund to Bayelsa 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 Nov. 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 Nov. 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,” he said.

He said 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.