2023 Presidency: Northern govs condemn Southern colleagues’ position on zoning

From Sola Ojo

Northern States Governors’ Forum, yesterday, rose from its one-day emergency meeting with the Northern States Traditional Council Chairmen in Kaduna and vehemently rejected calls that the Presidency be zoned to the South in 2023.

Southern governors have repeatedly insisted that power must shift to their region.

However, Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong in an 11-point resolution of the meeting said the position of their southern counterpart was “unacceptable” as there was no constitutional provision on power rotation.

Lalong said though some Northern governors have earlier spoken in favour of the rotational presidency, the action of the southern top politicians were counter-productive, especially as it negates the position of the constitution.

IThe group also tasked the Federal Government to expedite action on National Livestock Transformation Programme as a springboard in transiting from the open grazing system as widely practised in the North

On the ongoing debate on the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT), the forum claimed it was constrained because the matter was in court, but, went ahead to present the position of those who attended the meeting.

The communique read in full: “The Forum reviewed security updates from the region and observed the need for a sustained synergy and coordinated efforts between the federal and northern states governments while noting success of recent measures.  The meeting also noted with concern the constraint of the security services and urged the armed forces to embark on simultaneous operations and resolved to share the plans of the Frontline States come up with common with other Region; and assured of its readiness to work in synergy with the Federal Government of Nigeria in finding lasting solution to the current security challenges.

“The Forum appreciated the ongoing onslaught against banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram, especially in the North East and parts of North West and North Central states and encouraged the armed forces and other security agencies to sustain the tempo to enable the security challenges be permanently addressed in the shortest time.

“The Forum received updates on the Renewable / Solar Energy Project and NOTED that request for land for the project had been submitted and are being processed by the Northern States.  The Committee had commenced negotiations in a public private arrangement and sovereign guarantees to ensure bankability of the project by multilateral financial organizations.  The Forum called on States yet to process the request for allocation of land for the project to expedite action.

“The meeting received updates on activities of some Committees constituted by the Northern States Governors’ Forum and NOTED that recommendations contained therein are being considered with a view to coming up with implementation strategies.

“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 the majority votes; score at least 25% of the votes cast in 2/3 States of the Federation. In the case of run-up simple majority win the election.

“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 make the following observations:

(a) 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. 

“Rivers and Lagos State Government 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 Government as a sales tax. If every State enacted its own VAT Law, multiple taxation will result in increases of prices of goods and services and collapsed in interstate trade. 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.  The reason Lagos account for our 50% 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 judgment on the substantive matter between Rivers State and Federal Government, the matter is sub-judice and Northern States Governors Forum would respect this.”