Wike: VAT palava and di oda times di govnor of Rivers state don challenge Nigerian goment

Govnor Nyesom Wike, Rivers state govnor action to stop Nigeria goment from collecting Value Added Tax (VAT) through a court Judgment don set di pace for oda states for di kontri.

Justice Stephen Pam of di Federal High Court for Port Harcourt say na di constitutional role of state goments to collect VAT and no be Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Justice Pam for e ruling on di FIRS application for a stay of execution say: "to grant di order go negate di principle of equity".

Dis decision of di court don set di pace for oda states to directly collect VAT rather dan leave am for di federal goment.

But di federal goment of Nigeria say dem don file appeal against di court judgement wey go allow states to collect Value Added Tax (VAT).

Matthew Gbonjubola, Group Lead Special Taxation Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for press conference wit tori pipo for Abuja say to get a single tax authority wey dey manage taxing system go stop di challenge of double taxation.

"I fit confam to you say, we don file appeal for di appellate court against di judgement at di lower court for di Appeal Court for Rivers state," e tok.

Lagos join Rivers to take over collection of VAT

As tori of di court judgement wey give power to states to collect di Value Added Tax dey land, di Lagos State House of Assembly don shaparly passed di State Value Added Tax (VAT) bill.

Speaker of di house, Mudashiru Obasa don also direct di acting alerk of to transmit di bill to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for assent.

Di lawmakers pass di bill afta unanimous vote. Di speaker describe di bill as "historic".

Oda times govnor Wike challenge federal goment

Rivers state govnor Nyesom Wike dey popular for challenging Nigeria goment especially on policies wey e feel say dey unconstitutional.

Since becoming govnor for 2015 Wike don take strong position about federal goment actions for court and out of court.

Di issue of tax deductions by federal goment na di first time Rivers state goment dey carry Nigeria goment go court - dat na for 2020.

But for February, 2020 Govnor Wike threaten to drag di Federal goment to court over dia plan to withdraw money from di Excess Crude Account, to fund di military.

Di govnor during im meeting wit di Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero for Government House, Port Harcourt say, im no go support di plan for a fresh withdrawal except dem give Rivers State 13 percent share from di account.

Also, for May 2020, e say Rivers State goment don commence documentation to sue Federal goment for "unilateral" withdrawal of N11billion from di Federation Accounts for the Nigerian Police.

"Our lawyers go prepare our papers and we go go court. Nobody say you no fit support di police, but you must get di consent of states before taking dia money," Govnor Wike tok.