Stamp Duty Request: Gov. Abiodun In Desperate Search For Money To Prosecute Election Tribunal — Ogun PDP Alleged

The main opposition party, People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has reacted over the open letter that Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun sent to the House of Assembly, seeking approval on the recovery of the backlog of stamp duties accrued to the state and payment of a five per cent consultancy fee.

In the open letter, Abiodun requested the assembly’s approval “to reconcile unauthorised debits utilise the balance due to the state as a result of unauthorised debits.

Both letters were read on the floor of the assembly in Abeokuta, during the Tuesday plenary session.

Abiodun told the assembly that all the 36 states were exploring an out-of-court-settlement over a case filed at the Supreme Court on the refund of all money collected as stamp duties to state governments.

However, below read an open displeasure letter to counter the moves of the state Governor, the Eaglesforesight correspondent obtained a copy of the letter as seen been circulated as signed by the Ogun State PDP publicity secretary, Asiwaju Akinloye Bankole.

“Ever before now, the Ogun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has challenged the outgoing All Progressives Congress, APC government as led by Prince Dapo Abiodun on his undying attitude of conducting business of government in secrecy.”

Related News:

• Lagos State Government To Arraign Uzuokwu Solomon, Prank Caller Of Fire Office
• Forgive And Pray For Her, If Your Wife Cheats On You — Actress Bukunmi Oluwasina Advises Men
• States Over N300bn Stamp Duty Backlogs To Be Paid By FG — Dapo Abiodun

“Again, our genuine concerns and fears were confirmed on Tuesday (18th April,2023) plenary session of the Ogun state House of Assembly when the outgoing Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun sent two different letters seeking the house approval on the recovery of the backlog of Stamp Duties accrued to the state and payment of a five per cent to a consultancy firm, Ajap Financial Services Ltd.”

“Of course, as responsible political entity, the PDP is not averse to payment of legitimate dues to anybody or genuine firm hired for a particular service for the state. Every financial obligation must be met.”

“However, our immediate concern is that the outgoing governor owes it a duty to put all the details of its official dealings for scrutiny by the people, especially through the representatives of the people in the state legislature. The Governor should tell the people who the real owner(s) of the Ajap services, the consultancy firm are? Innocent members of Ogun state public who have suffered all manners of unpaid pensions and gratuities, delayed salaries and non payment of Cooperative deductions occasioned by these shoddy deals by the government deserve to know, in details, the total number and frequency of stamp duties duly collected from Ogun state since 2015 and all hidden terms of the transaction. This is to ultimately ensure public probity and transparent accountability.”

“Under the PDP-led administration, the people of Ogun State were kept abreast of all activities of government in an open, transparent engagement with members of the Ogun State House of Assembly, tagged “Mr. Governor Explain This” every quarter. This also compliments the open Town Hall Meeting, both programs were transmitted Live on all broadcast stations with Journalists and citizens in attendance to ask critical questions about the administration.”

“We are still surprised that in close to four years of the administration, Prince Dapo Abiodun has found it difficult to engage the people he claim to govern in and open and transparent manner. There are several doubts about the cost of doing business in Ogun State. No citizens not civil servants, even those who work in the Ministry of Works can say categorically how much does Ogun State construct it’s roads under the outgoing government of Prince Dapo Abiodun. All contracts are awarded in the dead of the night, and to cronies of the government. Can Ogun State ensure the receipt of backlogs of Stamp Duty into the hands of such non transparent government?”

“In order to get to the root of the matter, especially given the fact that the outgoing APC government has become largely untrustworthy, we make bold to challenge the leadership and members of the House of Assembly to immediately institute a fact-finding panel to unearth other important hidden terms and details of Mr. Abiodun’s request.”

“Again, we enjoin members of the Ogun state legislature to ensure that the debate of this suspicious request by the governor must be open to the public. The state legislature has another opportunity to prove its independence and drop its garment of being a rubber stamp.”

Asiwaju Akinloye Bankole

Publicity Secretary

Ogun state PDP

19th April, 2023.