Bello Masari, the governor of Katsina State, has slammed Lagos and Rivers State governors for their stance on tax revenue collection which is still being battled over in court.
Mr Bello Masari stated that without the contributions from other states in Nigeria, neither Rivers nor Lagos states would have large revenues to boast about.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: France Will Work With India To Promote ‘Truly Multilateral’ Order
The Katsina State’s politician went ahead to described the move by both Southern governors as a joke claiming that their economies rely on the population of other parts of the country for growth.
In a statement first seen by Daily Trust, Mr Masari said, “What is Lagos without the rest of Nigeria? The market Lagos is boasting of is dependent on the larger part of the country. Benin Republic has a port, Togo has a port; do they have the population to back up the ports?
“Without us providing the demand part, what will be Lagos? VAT serves them and us. We provide the bulk of the market because without the rest of the states, what is Lagos or Port Harcourt?
“Any state that thinks it can survive in isolation is joking. We provide the demand that makes Lagos what it is,”
Lagos and Rivers State governors are working on taking over VAT collection from the Federal Inland Revenue Service, or FIRS in their respective states.
However, the case is now before the Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court pending a court decision, while Rivers and Lagos states governors are enjoying the support of other Southern governors.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Yemi Osinbajo Named As President Buhari’s Likely Successor
It is unclear whether other governors from the south will follow in their colleagues’ footsteps if the case is won in court.
