The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Christopher Maikalangu, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies, and relevant authorities to address the ongoing dispute with the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service,FCT IRS regarding revenue collection.
Maikalangu emphasized that AMAC has not entered into any agreement with FCT IRS for revenue collection. He highlighted that the recent townhall meeting organized by FCT IRS for area councils failed to reach a consensus due to the departure of the FCT Permanent Secretary.
FCT IRS’s actions have led to alleged double taxation, causing concerns for AMAC residents and business owners. The court has ruled that revenue collection should remain under AMAC’s jurisdiction, raising questions about FCT IRS’s authority.
Maikalangu emphasized the need for proper legal channels to be followed and urged residents to only pay revenue into AMAC’s account to avoid double taxation. He urged President Tinubu and authorities to intervene before the situation escalates further.
The chairman stressed that AMAC remains law-abiding and will not take matters into its own hands, but will ensure FCT IRS’s compliance with legalities. He encouraged residents to challenge FCT IRS’s demands and requested clarity on their authority to collect revenue for AMAC.
Maikalangu, who was represented by the Supervisory Councilor for Special Duties, Mr Emmanuel Inyang, said,
“AMAC hasn’t signed any agreement with FCT IRS with regards to revenue collection in the council. Therefore, the recent moves by FCT IRS to collect revenue from tax payers in AMAC is an affront capable of creating anarchy. Imagine the FCT IRS going to an organization to demand N3.5m tax, some of whom had already paid tax to AMAC. So, it is worrisome that our tax payers are being asked to pay again.
“As you are aware, there is a court judgment barring AMAC Chairman from giving out the powers to revenue collection to any other party. If FCT IRS wants to collect money for AMAC, it should go to the National Assembly for them to change the constitution because the constitution has mandated AMAC to be collecting revenue.
“I want to re-emphasize that AMAC has not signed any agreement with FCT IRS for the purpose of revenue collection in the council. Though some people have been making reference that AMAC Chairman signed an agreement in Akure, I want to place it on record that there is nothing of such. What the AMAC chairman signed was a communique he was part of during a conference at Akure. It was a communique, not an agreement. People should be able to know the difference.”
“Security agencies should intervene and call FCT IRS to order to avoid miscreants taking advantage to extort unsuspecting members of the public. We also don’t want a situation of FCT IRS clashing with AMAC taskforce in the field. FCT is peace loving and must not be destabilized by FCT IRS. FCT IRS must not be above the law. It must not be above our law courts that has given verdict of revenue collection in favour of AMAC.
“At the aforementioned townhall meeting, the FCT Permanent Secretary said he is the driver of revenue harmonisation, but did not stay till the end of the meeting. He left halfway into the meeting and was not able to answer the questions we had for him. Therefore, he should be called to order especially on his statements.
“As we are all aware, Park and Pay is the duty of the council, which was illegally taken over by FCTA. It is another illegality. It is troubling when an institution ignores court orders the way FCTA is doing. The court ordered that Park and Pay should be handled by AMAC and the order has not been vacated. It is subsisting. So, why is FCTA disobeying the court judgment?
“We will not take laws into our hands. We will continue being law abiding. However, it amounts to double taxation for AMAC residents and business owners to be asked to pay to FCT IRS what they had already paid to AMAC. Can you imagine that FCT IRS also wants to be collecting Development Levy even from our local markets? Just how low can people go? It is as bad as that.
“Therefore, I want to appeal to our taxpayers to ignore the FCT IRS. Whenever they bring any demand notice to you as a taxpayer, challenge them. Tell them you won’t pay and for them to go to court to obtain judgment or explain if there is any judgment that gives them power to be collecting revenue for AMAC.
“If you pay any revenue to FCT IRS, you are just doing goodwill because you did not pay to AMAC. AMAC is the right organization to pay revenue to. If you pay to FCT IRS, you will pay double when AMAC officials come calling. So, do the right thing by paying to AMAC. Please, don’t fall a victim to antics of FCT IRS.”
The chairman reiterates the dispute over revenue collection, the alleged harassment by FCT IRS, and the call for intervention to prevent potential anarchy and illegal activities.
