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“I think the politicians must be careful in order to sustain the country, because we have been managing our unity for long before Buhari, but the way the President is going about issues, it is like they don’t care about the unity anymore with their statements and actions.” Kano State governor, however said the disagreement among the state governors is promoting disunity in the country, even as he urged the country’s elites, members of the public, all stakeholders and all nationalities irrespective of religious and ethnic inclinations to come together and ensure that Nigeria’s unity grows from strength to strength.
The reason Lagos account for our 50 per cent VAT collection is because most of the telecommunication companies, banks, manufacturing and other trading activities have their headquarters in Lagos with the resultant and wrongful attribution of VAT; “*Until and unless the Supreme Court pronounces judgement on the substantive matter between Rivers State and Federal Government, the matter is subjudice and Northern States Governors Forum would respect this.” In an interview with The Guardian in Abuja yesterday, Ubani contended that there is no provision in the law for Governors’ Forum, adding, “So, it is not even a legitimate body.
In the communique read by chairman of NSGF, Lalong, the meeting noted that although “some Northern States Governors had earlier expressed views for a power-shift to three geo-political zones in the South with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation, the Forum unanimously condemns the statement by the Southern Governors Forum that the Presidency must go to the South.” The Northern governors said the statement by their Southern counterparts runs counter to the provision of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
But the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), the umbrella body of states’ governors has dismissed the chances of such disagreements posing any threat to the country’s unity, describing them as mere political gimmicks, which are inconsequential to the body’s objectives of strengthening and encouraging good governance in states.
The governors also resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the states, even as they restated their earlier position that “the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in line with politics of equity, justice and fairness.” But, piqued by the audacious and bold statement by the Southern state governors, the Northern States Governors led by the Plateau State helmsman, Rt.
Cross section of Southern States governors during recent meeting • Power Shift Debate Can’t Affect Governors Forum – NGFThe disparate positions adopted by the 17 Southern Governors’ Forum and their 19 Northern States counterparts have introduced a dangerous dimension to the polarisation of the country along the two broad geopolitical regions.
So, irrespective of whatever the position the governors are holding, they are just wasting their time.” On the issue of zoning as it concerns the 2023 general election cycle, the legal luminary stated: “I wish to point out that in 2006 or thereabout, the Northern governors met and said power should go to the North and to them it was constitutional, for equity and justice.
The Nigerian Governors ‘ Forum (NGF) is not and can never be involved in politics; and so, the controversy or disagreements on such political issues among governors do not affect our work in the NGF because we don’t do politics in the NGF, he stated in a brief interview.
“* Rivers and Lagos State Governments had enacted their own VAT laws and the Southern Governors Forum have expressed support for this course of action; “*VAT is being confused by these State Governments as a sales tax.
The meeting of the 19 Northern States Governors’ Forum, which held at the Council chamber of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna on September 27, 2021, was attended by Chairmen of Northern States Traditional Council led by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
Governor Ganduje however, expressed apprehensions that the stance of the state governors on the twin issues of zoning the Presidency and controversies over whether state governments should collect and keep Value Added Tax (VAT), could damage the country’s unity.
If you have questions on governors and their politics, refer them to the northern or southern governors forum or any other platform of governors,” he insisted.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on the Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr.
Kayode Fayemi to convey the large house for the purpose of resolving the lingering issues,” Ganduje said.
“I must also emphasize here that the disagreement between the Northern and Southern Governors is not necessary and most unfortunate because Governors are elected to build and not to destroy the country.
So, I don’t take any of them or their position serious.” Ubani expressed dismay that the governors are not discussing weightier matters that revolve around good governance or credibility of the electoral system, especially on the issue of electronic transfer of election results.
“So, we are not worried about their political disagreements at all because there is no relationship between us and the political issues they raise.” In 2013, members of NGF quarrelled over the re-election of the then Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, for another term as chairman of the forum.
The Guardian checks revealed that this is not the first time the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is being divided by political considerations, because in the build up to the 2015 general election, precisely in 2013, NGF was polarised after the election produced two factions.
It would also be recalled that after their second meeting, which held in Lagos House, Ikeja, on July 5, 2021; the 17 Southern Governors led by Ondo State chief executive, Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, asserted that for the interest of the national harmony and coexistence, the position of President should be ceded to the Southern part of the country.
VAT is not a production tax like excise, but terminal tax which is paid by the ultimate consumer; “*Another confusion is ignoring observation above and its “overall effect”.
They remarked that the constitution stipulated that the elected President shall, among other conditions, “score the majority votes; score at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in 2/3 states of the federation” and in the case of run-up simple majority win the election..
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