The Abia State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has debunked news making the rounds that he is having issues with his tax payment.
Ikpeazu described the report as false and the handiwork of his detractors, who are afraid of his pedigree.
The PDP governorship candidate, who addressed journalists at his campaign office in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, said having been in public office in the past 12 years, where he held various appointments with the Government of Abia State, payment of tax for him is not a choice.
He said it is mandatory as it was deducted at source through Pay As You Earn before his salary gets to him.
His words: “Let me use this opportunity to debunk the false publications circulating in some section of the media that I have issue with my tax.
“There is nothing like that.
“In fact such rumour has exposed those behind it as people who are ignorant of the Pay As You Earn tax system and have refused to be educated on the issue.
“Since 2002 when I left Enugu State University of Science and Technology, where I was Head, Department of Biochemistry, I have held different political appointments with the Abia State Government.
“As an appointee of government, payment of tax is not a choice to me, but compulsory.
“It is something I must do, whether I like it or not, because the government deducts all deductibles through the PAYE system before my salary comes to me at the end of every month.
“So how I can then be accused of having issue with payment of tax?”
Dr. Ikpeazu also explained that one of those he defeated at the PDP primaries, Friday Nwosu, sponsored three persons who filed the tax papers of one Chief Okezie Ikpeazu, a businessman, also from Obingwa, who bears the same name with him, and went to a Federal High Court in Abuja, thinking that he was the one involved.
According to him, the plaintiffs lost the case in court, with a N100,000 fine that was awarded to him.
Ikpeazu stressed that he has no business going to any tax office to negotiate, adding that those peddling the rumour are making mockery of themselves as the tax matter is a non issue.
He said that those spearheading the rumour are doing so because they see him as a threat and pointed out that his vision for the state included looking for alternative ways of funding projects as well as enhancing the internally generated revenue base of the state.
According to him, he is lucky to be enjoying the support of the Governor of the state, Chief Theodore Orji, and major stakeholders in the state and stated his commitment to consolidate on the achievements of the governor.
Dr. Ikpeazu maintained that what should occupy the minds of people at this point is not tax but how to move the state higher.
In his contribution, a member of the legal team of the Okezuo Abia Campaign Organization, Barrister Teddy Eruba, who represented Dr. Ikpeazu in court over the issue, disclosed that Ikpeazu does not have any tax issue that will disqualify him from running for the governorship position.
Eruba said it is infantile for any person to consider tax default as one of the conditions likely to disqualify Ikpeazu or any candidate from running for governorship position.
In a related development, the President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria Chidi Ajaegbu, who is an expert in tax issues, has also said that Ikpeazu has a current tax clearance certificate, which expires December 31, 2014.
According to Ajaegbu, the tax certificate contains his tax history for the past three years covering 2011, 2012 and 2013 year of assessments.
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