The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has recommended that tax compliance should be a prerequisite for clearing aspirants to contest elective positions.<\/p>\n
This recommendation was made by\u00a0Muhammad Nami, executive chairman, FIRS and chairman, Joint Tax Board (JTB) on Tuesday at a meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.<\/span><\/p>\n The meeting was aimed at strengthening collaboration among the agencies to ensure tax compliance among candidates in the upcoming elections.<\/span><\/p>\n Nami said it was imperative to promote measures aimed at strengthening the capacity for sustainable and inclusive tax administration in the country<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is important that political office holders pay their right taxes to enable the tax agencies channel the funds for national development,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTax payment has become a secondary matter because some of us are benefiting from social amenities achieved from money from oil.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n While emphasising that tax revenue was the most effective and sustainable way of generating funds required to drive the social economy, Nami called for a reorientation that would make every income earner pay tax.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe challenge we face as a nation is that the tax gross domestic product (GDP) in Nigeria is about the lowest in the whole world,\u201d Nami said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe must get our tax right. We must have a reorientation or reconstruction of our tax code.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTax compliance is a constitutional obligation and it is our duty to ensure that every eligible citizen pays his or her tax promptly and accurately.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe 2023 election presents an opportunity for us to ensure the effective compliance of every political actor to showcase his tax agenda as part of the prerequisite for 2023 elections.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He further said that anyone whose tax status was not in harmony with their declared records should not be entrusted with public office.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTax compliance, therefore, should be approved for holding political office as this is a global practice,\u2019\u2019 the FIRS boss said.<\/span><\/p>\n On his part, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said \u2018no specific law\u2019 makes it mandatory for election candidates to present evidence of payment of tax before they could contest an election.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBut we understand the importance of this collaboration and we will collaborate with you,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAll candidates for elected offices are required to complete the INEC nomination forms and to swear to an affidavit that they have fully and faithfully provided the requisite information to the commission.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe will collaborate with sister agencies to provide whatever information you require to facilitate your constitutional roles.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLeadership comes with enormous responsibilities at both the executive and legislative levels, and persons entrusted with that responsibility must respect the constitution and laws of this country.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd that is why agencies responsible for ensuring compliance with the constitution and laws of this government just like INEC have fully supported.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has recommended that tax compliance should be a prerequisite for clearing aspirants to contest elective positions. This recommendation was made by\u00a0Muhammad Nami, executive chairman, FIRS and chairman, Joint Tax Board (JTB) on Tuesday at a meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The meeting was aimed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":140596,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_bookmark_settings":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[20406,1180,101,18380,38448],"class_list":["post-190523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-aspirants","tag-firs","tag-inec","tag-muhammadu-nami","tag-tax-clearance"],"yoast_head":"\n