Yes, despite the flurry of gossip and uncomplimentary stories that trailed her emergence as a ministerial nominee then, Mr. President trusted her guts and entrusted her with the nation’s finance ministry. It would be recalled that Kemi Adeosun’s nomination generated buzz within and outside the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), as detractors and apologists of the dark-hued financial expert engaged in a slug-fest of sort over her suitability for the post. But Buhari went on to appoint her on recommendation from her former principal, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, with whom she served as Commissioner of Finance.
No sooner did Governor Amosun nominate her for the ministerial slot for Ogun State than the rumour mill set to work spinning sludge against the honour of Kemi Adeosun. Sources in Ogun State government claimed that she is to Governor Amosun what Diezani Alison-Madueke, former petroleum minister, was to former President Goodluck Jonathan. Whoever messed with her, it was alleged, did so at his or her own peril.
Top government officials allegedly caught the flu whenever Adeosun sneezed and she never failed to rub it in the face of whoever crossed her path that she enjoys a chummy relationship with Governor Amosun. She was that influential with Governor Amosun and her word became law with his unflinching support, according to her critics.
However, it’s exclusive: Governor Amosun and Kemi Adeosun are currently having a running battle over an open disagreement over the state’s contributions to Value Added Tax.
The Finance Ministry, supported by the Federal Bureau of Statistics and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, had issued a statement, placing Lagos State above Ogun in VAT contributions. But reacting, Amosun put a lie to the minister’s claim.
According to him, the data presented by the Finance Ministry, the FBS and the FIRS, as they pertained to the contributions of the state to the VAT, amounted to “a misrepresentation.”
He said the claim that Lagos State contributed more than Ogun State could not be true, as Ogun had the highest number of industries in the country.
The governor, who was speaking during a facility tour of an indigenous armoured vehicles manufacturing company, situated in the Ode-Remo area of the state, faulted the presentation by the agencies; that out of 916 high net-worth individuals paying tax to the Federal purse, only two are from Ogun State.
“Not less than 27 high net-worth individuals in the state pay at least N20 million monthly as tax to the Federal purse”, he said, urging the agencies to cross-check their data.
The governor added that such inaccurate statistics was unacceptable, especially if foreign agencies, like the World Bank, could come and do accurate statistics about the state.
The governor’s open disagreement with the Finance Minister is, however, coming as a surprise, considering the fact the Adeosun was Amosun’s Finance Commissioner before she was given a ministerial appointment.
