By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
The founder of Arthur Jarvis University, a private institution in Cross River State, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, has denied owing the state government any tax arrears or other debts.
Archibong, who is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the clarification while addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Calabar.
He was reacting to reports alleging that the state government was moving against the university over unpaid taxes and rates running into millions of naira.
The PDP candidate alleged that the government’s action was aimed at weakening him politically by targeting his investment, which he described as one of the largest employers of labour in the state outside government.
“Just as they have clamped down on many businesses, scaring them away from the state, they want to similarly clamp down on an investment which has become the highest employer of labour after government.
“I am not owing any taxes, nor am I owing any other debts. All they want is to tamper with my investment. I am not perturbed. I will rebuild it,” he said.
Archibong also accused the state government of failing to provide any financial or infrastructural support to the university since its establishment about 10 years ago.
He said he chose to establish the institution in Cross River because he is from the state and wanted to contribute to its development and enhance its profile in private university education.
“Unlike many other private universities in other states enjoying regular financial support from their governments, my state government has never, in the 10 years the university has been in existence, extended any form of financial or infrastructure support to encourage us,” he said.
The PDP candidate also criticised the reported requirement for governorship candidates and other political contestants to pay as much as N100 million for billboards during the election campaign.
Archibong said his party would not be deterred by the cost of billboard advertising, arguing that it was more focused on winning the support of voters through direct engagement.
“Even if the price is pegged at N50,000, we have no need for it. We are busy garnering the interest of the people who will not have time to read billboards,” he said.
