The position of Northern State Governors' Forum (NSGF) on 2023 presidency and Value Added Tax (VAT) issues has contradicted that of its Southern counterpart.
NATIONAL PANEL recalls the Southern Governors had in their meeting on 16th September in Enugu resolved that the president of Nigeria in 2023 should come from the South, and alsy supported the collection of VAT by states.
But the Northern governors in their meeting today in Kaduna, faulted the position of their Southern counterparts.
The Northern governors opined that the Constitution of Nigeria is explicit on how a president should emerge.
“The Forum observed that some Northern States Governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three Geo-Political Zone in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the Nation. Notwithstanding their comments, the Forum unanimously condemn the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the Presidency must go to the South. The statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended that the elected President shall score at least 25% of the votes cast in 2/3 States of the Federation and in the case of run-up simple majority win the election," part of the resolution signed by the signed by the Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Barr. Simon Bako Lalong, the Northern Governors while restraining comment on the issues.
They said, since the issue is before the court, that Lagos State accounts for over 50% vat because most cooperate bodies “wrongly” pay their VAT through Lagos which is the commercial capital of Nigeria, the Northern State Governors Forum considered the on-going National debate on the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT).
"As responsible leaders while we are constraint by the fact that the matter is sub judice we however for the purposes of educating the public, observed that the judgement of the Federal high Court calls to question the constitutionality of VAT, withholding tax, education tax, Niger Delta Development Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, 13% derivation, National Economic Development Council and many other currently levied and collected by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Federal Inlands Revenue Service," they added.
