decision by President Muhammadu Buhari and his officials to increase the
Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5% to excruciating 7.2%, saying Nigerians
cannot bear such burden under the prevailing agonizing economic
situation.
The party in a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan says “the decision
is anti-people, suppressive and further confirmed the Buhari Presidency
as extremely exploitative, inconsiderate and absolutely insensitive to
the sufferings which it has plunged Nigerians into in the last four
years.
“The PDP insists that the decision to increase VAT on already
impoverished citizens is in bad faith and cannot be justified under any
guise.
“Indeed, only an administration that does not have the mandate of the
people can seek to adopt such oppressive stance against its citizens.
“President Buhari ought to be aware that an increase in VAT will worsen
our decrepit economy and put more pressure on families and business as
it will result in increase in costs of goods and services that have
direct bearing on the welfare of the people.
“Our party charges the Buhari Presidency not to further punish Nigerians
by imposing harsh tax regime to make up for its crass incompetence and
lack of capacity to effectively harness and manage our resources to
create wealth for the benefit of the people.
“It is even more painful that the Buhari Presidency cannot give account
of the huge resources at its disposal, including the taxes it has been
collecting in the last four years, most of which are frittered to
service the wasteful lifestyle of the cabal at the Presidency and APC
chieftains.
“Instead of foisting more tax burden on Nigerians, the PDP charges
President Buhari to account for and recover the over N14 trillion oil
money established to have been stolen under his watch in the last four
years.
“It is disheartening that at the time Nigerians ought to be enjoying the
economic recovery and empowerment blueprint set out by Atiku Abubakar,
which included slash in taxes and levies, they are rather faced with an
unjustifiable and indefensible tax increase.
“The PDP therefore urges the National Assembly to protect Nigerians and
save our nation from collapse by rejecting this injurious decision by
the Buhari Presidency.”