Nollywood veteran, Iyabo Ojo, is entangled in a staggering N19 million tax debacle with the Lagos State Inland Revenue Service. But this isn’t just any tax issue – there are allegations swirling that it may be politically motivated.
The saga unfolded when the acclaimed actor took to her Instagram page to reveal a letter she had received from the Lagos state revenue agency, demanding payment of a hefty sum within a mere seven days. The letter, dated May 22, 2023, stated that Iyabo Ojo owed N18,640,092 in personal income tax, with N7,376,000.00 for the year 2022 and an outstanding liability of N11,264,092 for the 2021 income year.
Infuriated and feeling unfairly targeted, Ojo expressed her frustration in a now-deleted post. She questioned the exorbitant amount she was being asked to pay, calling out the Lagos governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the state government for an explanation. She claimed to have previously visited the tax office and declared her earnings, but received no response to her letter.
“What have you people ever done for me as a government? NOTHING!!! I have single-handedly raised my kids and so many others, plus myself without a single deny from the government,” Ojo passionately declared. “Yet you feel so entitled to reaping over 100% from where you did not sow.”
As if the situation weren’t contentious enough, Ojo raised eyebrows further by suggesting that the tax bill may be politically motivated. In a live Instagram video, she presented evidence of her tax payments. She alleged that a contact within the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service had informed her of discussions to target her with a high tax bill due to her support of the opposition party’s candidate, Peter Obi, during the recent presidential election.
The political landscape in Lagos has seen a seismic shift, with the Labour Party securing a surprising victory over the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during the recently concluding presidential elections. Peter Obi secured 582,454 votes, edging out the APC’s Bola Tinubu, who garnered 572,606 votes. Lagos State, long considered an APC stronghold, was rocked by the unexpected outcome.
In the wake of Ojo’s allegations, netizens have taken to social media to express their outrage and speculate on the potential political motivations behind the tax bill. The controversy has only deepened, leaving many wondering if there is more to this story than meets the eye.
Will Iyabo Ojo find a resolution, or is this just the beginning of a battle that promises to captivate the nation? Only time will tell.
