By Wisdom Nwedene
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has stylishly lambasted his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Nweze Umahi during interactive session with Rivers State stakeholders over lingering crisis between the state government and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.
Speaking during the interactive session monitored by our correspondent, Wike said he is not one of those Governors that run to Abuja to praise President Muhammadu Buhari so that they can get more money from him.
Wike also said a psychiatric check should be conducted on the Governor that said God should give Nigeria another President Like Buhari In 2023.
Recall that Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State during a media chat with State House correspondents in Abuja after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari said the President is a good man with a good heart and prayed to God to give Nigeria another President like him in 2023.
Reacting, Wike said, ….some Governors run to Abuja and say they want another President like Buhari in 2023 just to get money from the President….”
Wike also said the other day he overheard another Governor saying God should give Nigeria another President like Buhari.
“…. psychiatric check should be conducted on the governor that said God should give Nigeria another Buhari in 2023” Wike said and laughed.
Recall that On Monday, the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt rejected a challenge by the FIRS against the ruling, putting down the agency’s application for an injunction.
The ruling has, at least for now, cleared the way for the Rivers government to enforce its newly passed VAT Act. Lagos on Monday pushed its VAT Bill through the second reading.
Despite the latest development in court, Johannes Wojuola, the special assistant to the chairman of the FIRS on Media and Communications, in a statement Monday urged taxpayers to “remain calm” and maintain the “status quo”.
“The FIRS having lodged, in the Court of Appeal, both an appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court sitting in Rivers State in Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/149/2020, Attorney General of Rivers State Vs Federal Inland Revenue Service, and an injunction pending appeal of the said judgement, assures taxpayers that there is no cause for alarm.
“The Federal High Court ruling should not breed any confusion as to the obligations of taxpayers. Taxpayers must continue to comply with the Value Added Tax Act pending the final determination of appeal,” the statement said.
He said taxpayers “must” continue to pay their tax to the FIRS to avoid paying penalties for failure to do so.
“For the avoidance of doubt, records of appeal have been transmitted to the appellate court. The Service is confident that, given the extant laws, the arguments and case put forward, it will earn a favoured judgment at the appellate court,” the statement concluded.
