The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday criticised President Muhammadu Buhari, over the planned increase of the Value Added Tax, VAT, by five per cent.

The governor, who was reacting to comments attributed to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Lagos, said the move would worsen the hardship already faced by Nigerians.

He described the plan as “wicked and insensitive” to the plight of Nigerians who are suffering from the bad economic policies of Buhari and the All Progressives Congress-led government.

Mr. Fayose who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said any increment in VAT or any other tax being paid by Nigerians would make life unbearable for the people.

“Nigerians are suffering and the little that they have, the federal government is planning to take back through VAT increment. This is wickedness,” the governor said.

“Under three months, electricity tariff was increased despite epileptic power supply, N50 stamp duty was imposed on bank customers for money received into their accounts via electronic transfer, cash and cheques; petrol is being sold for as high as N400 per litre and now they are talking about increasing VAT to 10 per cent, this is the height of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.”

Lamenting the increase in the cost of living which he said is occasioned by the bad economic policies of the federal government, Mr. Fayose said recent figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, revealed that the prices of food have hit a record high while inflation is worsening.

“How can government be considering 100 per cent increment in VAT when businesses are folding up, prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed, millions of Nigerians are losing their jobs and those who are still employed are no longer getting paid regularly,” he said.

“For even contemplating the increment of VAT at this difficult time shows that the Buhari-led government does not care about the welfare of the citizens and only God will save the poor masses from the hands of this government.”

Governor Fayose said rather than imposing more hardships on Nigerians, President Buhari should seek help from experts on how best to revive the country’s economy.

“As at today, the Buhari-led government is yet to show that it has any clue to the revival of the economy,” the governor said.

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