The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Godwin Obaseki, has vowed to abolish all forms of extortion in the name of tax when voted into office.

Obaseki made the declaration in an interactive session with members of a social-political group, Edo Mass Movement.

He expressed regret over the manner issues affecting taxation have been politicized, noting that there is no double taxation in the state but extortion.

According to him, the extortion is perpetrated by certain agencies, particularly those representing local governments.

The APC governorship hopeful emphasised that the real concern for now should be how to create a fair tax system because of the burden that exists from the fact that there is only a negligible percentage of taxpayers in the tax net.

He promised that when voted into office, his administration would create the enablement that will bring more tax payers into the tax net in order to reduce the burden on a few.

Obaseki pointed out that tax is very important for every government because besides getting over 90 per cent of internally generated revenue from it, governments carry out their development responsibilities from it.

The senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly, Mr Francis Alimikhena, has advised the electorate in Edo against selling their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

He gave the advice at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rallies in Ozalla, Sobe and Uzebba, in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He appealed to the people not to sell their PVC to anybody who may come to them under the guise of assisting them with loan or job.

“The PVC is your property, don’t give or sell it to anybody. We hear they are going about buying PVCs with the promise of giving you loan or jobs, please stop if you have not. They are not sincere, they want to use it to carry out evil plans.

“They know they can’t win election, and in their characteristic ways, they are going about wooing people to sell their cards. They know that these cards are meant to punish them for the evil they have done the state in the past,” he said.

Addressing the rallies, State Chairman of the APC, Mr Anselm Ojezua, said the party’s governorship candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Mr Philip Shaibu, have forged a common front to take the state to the next level.