WITH effect from the New Year, civil servants in Edo State would enjoy the new tax law as reviewed by the Federal Government, which is designed to reduce the tax burden on workers.Governor Adams Oshiomhole stated this yesterday during a live television programme in Benin City.Oshiomhole also faulted his critics over his claim that the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua supported him on his bid for office.On the same programme, he declared his intention to contest the 2012 gubernatorial elections on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).Oshiomhole said although he had been adopted by the party, he would still go through the process of nominations when the time comes for it.'For the first time, I can say I intend and wish to be a candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria for next year's governorship election.'On the rift in his party over his running mate in the re-election bid, the governor said it was healthy for democracy, stressing that 'I will only choose my deputy after I become the official candidate of the party'.Oshiomhole, who noted that the government must collect tax to deliver on campaign promises, however, assured that workers in the state would pay less tax as provided by the new law.He argued: 'As a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, I never went on strike against tax because it is the law. Tax will be paid but it will not be pocketed because I have a duty to appropriately deploy the money.'We have put no tax on the less privileged, no tax on the unemployed. Small-time traders, hawkers and small-time farmers are all exempted from paying tax.'Oshiomhole said his administration decided to 'clean up' the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) before holding local council polls because 'we had an electoral body composed of PDP members'.He added: 'Right now the EDSIEC is cleaning up the system. It is not the government that will give a date for the conduct of the local government election, it is the responsibility of the EDSIEC.'The governor's comments on Yar'Adua were criticised by opposition parties in the state, including the court-removed former governor, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, state Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC) Godwin Erhahon and Mr. Isaiah Osifo of the Labour Party.But Oshiomhole said: 'These are the views of political harlots. Let them go to Yar'Adua's grave and ask him. Has Yar'Adua's family complained that I betrayed him' Yar'Adua was a statesman and God will bless him for putting Nigeria first. Some of them complaining have never voted in their lives.'We had a President who believed in me and did not play narrow-minded politics. Yar'Adua said to me: 'Adams if you contest election in Katsina you will win so how could anybody say you lost election in Edo'' Now when he is no more alive we have to remember his good and bad sides'.
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