The Lagos State Government says the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, owes the state four years of unpaid taxes.
Agbaje had denied owing the state taxes, insisting that he had even been commended by the Commissioner for Finance, Ayo Gbeleyi, for paying his taxes.
However, the government, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, said although Agbaje had been paying the Land Use charge on his private residence, the PDP candidate had not been paying taxes on his businesses premises.
The state government said the unpaid taxes owed the state by Agbaje’s company, Jaykay Pharmacy, were in the excess of N1.6m.
It, therefore, urged Agbaje to pay up the money as it would meet some of the needs of the state.
The statement read, “We consider it necessary to make a response to the rebuttal of Mr. Jimi Agbaje in some newspapers to the assertion by Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on the subsisting default in Land Use Charge payment of N1,629,064.62 by JayKay Pharmacy Limited.
“For clarity, the issue at hand has to do with Mr. Agbaje’s business premises at 9, Randle Close, Apapa and not 1, Bombay Crescent, Apapa GRA, for which he was commended.
“The letter issued by the Commissioner for Finance is in respect of 1, Bombay Crescent, Apapa GRA, which was published in Mr. Agbaje’s response and is proof of Government’s acknowledgement of payments made on that property at 1, Bombay Crescent, Apapa GRA which presumably is his residence.
“The Land Use Charge on the business premises of Jaykay Pharmacy at 9, Randle Close, Apapa, was not paid for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
“As Governor Fashola acknowledged, payment was made for 2013 and 2014 on 9, Randle Close, Apapa, perhaps in preparation for the election. The payments for 2009 to 2012 remain outstanding and unpaid and those monies go to the local governments to fund primary education and primary health care. The amount unpaid is N1, 629,064.62. The only way this debt owed to the people of Lagos will go away is if it is paid.”
