The All Progressive Government (APC) state chapter of Bayelsa has urged the Federal government to delay the release of the 7 billion naira Value Added Tax (VAT) refund air marked for Bayelsa state Government.
The call was made by, Mr. Yekini Nabena, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC in Abuja on Thursday, saying the call was to restrain the sitting governor from vote buying before, during and after the November 16 gubernatorial election in the state.
Yekini revealed that delaying the payment will ensure the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led-government will be staved off fund and that will restrain them from vote buying and at the same time saves the state citizens from their money being squandered.
He, therefore, called on the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed to delay approval of the N7 billion VAT refund to Bayelsa state Government to help Bayelsa people from a monumental embezzlement by the governor until election are over.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary as quoted by NAN disclosed that they have information that the governor of Bayelsa state has already make a move by contacting the commercial banks to lend him the money before election with the promise of reimbursing them when the federal government finally paid the state.
Consequently, if the said fund is paid, it will not serve the purpose for which it was mean to serve for Bayelsan’s .
Nabena also alleged that Dickson has been running from pillar to post to raise money through the diversion of state funds to enable him to buy vote during the election of the governorship candidate of PDP.
