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Tag: southern governors

  • Southern Nigeria Governors back States to collect VAT, insist 2023 presidency be zoned to region

    Southern Nigeria Governors back States to collect VAT, insist 2023 presidency be zoned to region

    Governors from the Southern region of Nigeria have expressed their support for the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) by State Governments.

    Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo disclosed this while reading a communique issued at the end of a meeting of the Governors on Thursday in Enugu State.

    Akeredolu said that the Governors resolved and affirmed the position that the collection of VAT fell within the powers of State Governments.

    “We resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the state.

    “The meeting reaffirmed its earlier commitments to fiscal federalism and emphasised the need to pursue its inclusion in the Nigerian Constitution through the on-going constitutional amendment,’’ he said.

    Akeredolu urged States in the South to leverage on the competence of their Houses of Assembly and representation at the National Assembly to pursue the goal.

    He said that the meeting reviewed the state of the nation and the progress made in the implementation of the ban on open grazing of cattle in the south of Nigeria.

    “The meeting expressed satisfaction with the rate at which states in the south of Nigeria are amending or enacting the anti-open grazing law.

    “This aligns with the uniform template and aspiration of governors in the south and we encourage the states that have yet to enact the law to do so expeditiously.

    “The meeting agreed to encourage the full operationalisation of the already agreed regional security which will share intelligence and collaborate toward the safety and security of the region,’’ he said.

    Akeredolu said the governors were satisfied with the handling of issues surrounding the Petroleum Industry Act and ownership of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation by the larger Nigerian Governors Forum.

    “The meeting reiterated its earlier position that the next president of Nigeria will come from the south of Nigeria in line with the politics of equity, justice and fairness,’’ Akeredolu said.

    Nine governors and seven deputy governors out of the 17 States in the Southern Nigeria attended the meeting.

    Governors present were Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

    Others were Govs. Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun State), Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun State).

    The deputy governors in attendance were Mr Bisi Egbeyemi (Ekiti State), Mr Rauf Olaniyan (Oyo State), Dr Kelechi Igwe (Ebonyi), Chief Ude Oko-Chukwu (Abia), Mr Philip Shuaibu (Edo), Prof. Ivara Esu (Cross River) and Prof. Placid Njoku (Imo).

    Anambra was not represented at the meeting.

    The next meeting of the governors will hold in Rivers in November.

  • Months after meeting in Lagos, Delta States; Southern Governors converge again in Enugu

    Months after meeting in Lagos, Delta States; Southern Governors converge again in Enugu

    Members of the Southern Governors’ Forum are currently meeting in Enugu few months after they converged in Nigeria’s oil rich state, Delta with a follow up meeting in the nation’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos State.

    Governors who have arrived at the meeting include Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos; Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State; Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State; and Bayelsa’s Douye Diri.

    They were received at the Government House, Enugu, by the host, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    While there is no officially published agenda for the meeting, the governors are expected to deliberate on the ongoing Value Added Tax (VAT) battle between states and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), open grazing and security issues.

    Thursday’s meeting is coming just over two months after the governors met in Lagos State where they made a series of decisions including banning open grazing.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the governors had set September 5 as the deadline for states in southern Nigeria to promulgate the anti-open grazing law.

    Although only seven states – Ebonyi, Abia, Bayelsa, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo – beat the deadline, more states have enacted the law banning open grazing.

    Enugu, Lagos, and Akwa Ibom were the latest states to enact the law against open grazing.

    Aside from issues around open grazing, the governors also agreed that Nigeria’s next president [in 2023] should be from the southern part of the country.

    They equally affirmed their commitment to Nigeria’s unity, restating calls for state policing among other issues.

     

     

  • VAT: Gombe State Govt begs Southern Governors

    VAT: Gombe State Govt begs Southern Governors

    The Gombe State Government has pleaded with the government of other States, especially those from the Southern parts of the country to reconsider their stance on the issue of Value Added Tax (VAT).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Gombe State’s Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammad Magaji made the plea at the opening of Technical Workshop on development of the Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) for the State.

    He said the other States, especially those from southern parts of the country, should put sentiment aside and become brothers’ keepers in sharing the VAT generated in their respective states.

    TNG reports the plea is coming as the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu have taken steps to start the collection of VAT in their respective States.

    Magaji posited that with the dwindling revenue from the federation account, it was obvious that only three of the 36 states in the country could survive without support from the federal government.

    “The VAT issue will have adverse effects not only on Gombe state but almost all the states of the federation. I was part of the discussion few weeks ago by all commissioners of finance across the country.

    “The realisation was that only Lagos, Rivers and probably Delta states would be able to pull through without this VAT being administered centrally, and it is our appeal that we all put sentiments behind and work towards a federation that is one, by being our brothers keepers and ensuring that what is pull together at the center is distributed to be able to balance resources across the country,” Magaji said.

    According to him, it would be a very bad development that won’t augur well for the country if every state will ask for control of its resources.

    He added, “Don’t forget that the oil producing states collect only 13 per cent derivation, so if you say every state will take whatever resources it has, that it means we are starting a very dangerous trajectory that will not augur well for the federation called Nigeria.”

  • Masari queues behind Southern colleagues, considers banning open grazing in Katsina

    Masari queues behind Southern colleagues, considers banning open grazing in Katsina

    Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, has hinted that his administration is considering banning open grazing in the state.

    The governor faulted the movement of herders from one part of the country to another.

    He however explained that before the state would create a law banning the open grazing of livestock, the government would make provisions to house the animals.

    “We intend to have a law banning (cattle) roaming but before we do that, we would make provisions for where the animals would stay,” the governor said during the programme.

    “Herdsmen should stay in one place. Roaming about should not be encouraged. In fact, for us, it is un-Islamic. Why do you have animals that you cannot feed and you have to go to other people’s land and farm and you say that is right? I don’t think it is right,” the governor said on a monitored Channels Television programme on Monday.

    He explained that as part of the efforts to kick start the ranching programme, the Federal Government disbursed N6.2 billion for the project.

    Masari added, “We already have started. The Federal Government has given us N6.2 billion and as a state government, we are also investing N6.2 billion. The objective is to have Fulanis stay in one place.”

    TheNewsGuru,com, TNG reports that Masari’s comment comes four months after the Southern Governors Forum announced a ban on open grazing of cattle across states in the region.

    The governors, after meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital and a follow up meeting in Lagos asked President Buhari to address Nigerians on the state of the nation.

    It also instructed states in the region to enact anti-open grazing laws in their domain to curb incessant clashes between herders and farmers.

  • Northern elders, groups blast Southern governors; reject power shift to south, deadline for implementation of anti-open grazing laws, others

    Northern elders, groups blast Southern governors; reject power shift to south, deadline for implementation of anti-open grazing laws, others

    The Northern Elders Forum and other interest groups on Tuesday slammed the 17 southern governors for demanding power shift to the South in 2023.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the southern governors met in Lagos on Monday and reinforced resolutions reached at their May 11 meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

    They insisted that power must shift to the South in 2023, and agreed to enact anti-open grazing laws by September 1.

    However, in a swift reaction, the North Elders Forum, through its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the North will not be intimidated into yielding an office that ought to be settled democratically.

    It sees the decision of the Southern governors as an expression of a sentiment that could be best discussed within a political process.

    “We are running a democratic government and decisions over where the next president comes from will be made by voters exercising their rights to choose which candidate best serves their interest,” NEF said.

    The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), in a statement by its spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, accused the Southern governors of ganging up against the North.

    Describing the proposed anti-open grazing law as retrogressive, the group said it threatens the legitimate presence of pastoral communities in the South.

    CNG said: “Their (Southern governors) support for treasonable felony, by the subtle endorsement of the activities of such criminal separatist forces, led by the likes of Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu, by warning the nation’s security agencies against operating in the region without obtaining permission from the governor of the particular state is a matter that must be given the seriousness it deserves.

    “It is ironic for such leaders of a society that delights in unleashing mayhem against fellow citizens of other regions at the slightest of pretexts, to expect the other sections of the country to trust them or any of their proteges with presidential powers.

    “The Southern governors’ resolutions in that regard have further exposed a deliberate attempt to impose a contentious system of a rotational presidency that turns all democratic norms and accepted indices of our national demography on their heads; a rotation system that is clearly aimed at achieving dubious political goals; and one clearly designed to weaken the North.

    “The Southern governors’ threat to impose and enforce this undemocratic leadership selection process on the North, irrespective of its advantage of numerical superiority and inherent political sophistry, is part of a calculated design to continuously weaken our region politically and pauperise it economically.

    “This conspiracy is actively perpetrated with the connivance of some northerners and accommodated by the personal ambition of a few of those that present themselves as northern political leaders.

    “Inevitably, the immediate trigger to the Lagos pronouncements was the collaborative assurances by the former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima and the Kaduna State Governor Nasir Elrufai given just two days earlier.”

    CNG insisted that the North would not be stampeded into making major decisions around power shift.

    It added that only a candidate who is competent and can unite and secure Nigeria should be President in 2023, irrespective of where he or she comes from.

    “We warn the Southern governors and their northern collaborators that any attempt to ride on the back of such gratuitous insults to democratic fair play and crass political opportunism, to hoist incompetent leadership on the nation in the name of rotation would not be accepted and shall be vehemently resisted,” CNG added.

  • Southern Governors set deadline for promulgation of anti-open grazing law in region

    Southern Governors set deadline for promulgation of anti-open grazing law in region

    Southern Governors have set September 1, 2021, as the deadline for the promulgation of anti-open grazing law among its member states.

    The governors jointly agreed on the date during their meeting on Monday in Lagos.

    “The forum frowns at selective criminal administration of Justice and resolved that arrests should be made within the ambit of the Law and fundamental human rights and set a timeline of Wednesday, 1st September 2021 for the promulgation of the anti-open grazing law in all Member States,” the governors said in a communique issued after the meeting.

    During the meeting, the governors also jointly agreed that Nigeria’s next president should emerge from the southern region.

    They affirmed their commitment to the unity of Nigeria and reinstated calls for state police.

    The governors also deliberated on insecurity, constitutional amendment, PIB, and anti-open grazing law in all member-states.

    See the full communique below…

    COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING OF THE GOVERNORS OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA AT THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT HOUSE, IKEJA, LAGOS STATE, ON MONDAY, 5TH JULY, 2021 NIGERIA.

    The Southern Governors Forum at the end of the meeting held on Monday, 5th July 2021 reviewed the situation in the Country and focused on the current security situation, constitutional amendment, Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    Rising from the meeting, the Forum agreed on the following:

    Re-affirmed their commitment to the unity of Nigeria on the pillars of equity, fairness, justice, progress, and peaceful co-existence between and amongst its people.
    The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region.
    Security. a. The Forum reviewed the security situation in the country and commends security operatives for their relentless efforts in restoring security and safety and commiserates with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty; b. Re-emphasized the need for State Police; c. Resolved that if for any reason security institutions need to undertake an operation in any State, the Chief Security Officer of the State must be duly informed; d. the forum frowns at selective criminal administration of Justice and resolved that arrests should be made within the ambit of the Law and fundamental human rights; e. Set a timeline of Wednesday, 1st September 2021 for the promulgation of the anti-open grazing law in all Member States; and f. Resolved that Funds deducted from the Federation Account for the Nigeria Police Security Trust Fund should be distributed among the States and Federal Government to combat security challenges.

    Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) Law: i. The Forum commends the National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the PIB; ii. the Forum rejects the proposed 3% and support the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives; iii. the forum also rejects the proposed 30% share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins; iv. However, the forum rejects the ownership structure of the proposed Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). The Forum disagrees that the company be vested in the Federal Ministry of Finance but should be held in trust by Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) since all tiers of Government have stakes in that vehicle.

    In order to consolidate our democracy and strengthen the Electoral process, the Southern Governors’ Forum rejects the removal of the Electronic transmission of the election result from the electoral act; and also rejects the confirmation of exclusive jurisdiction in pre-election matters on the Federal High Court.

    The Forum unanimously chose Lagos State as its permanent secretariat and appreciated the Governor of Lagos State for the wonderful hosting of this meeting while commending him for his good work in the State.

    Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN

    Governor, Ondo State, and Chairman, Southern Governors’ Forum

  • BREAKING: [2023] Southern Governors pick region as next to produce Nigeria’s president

    BREAKING: [2023] Southern Governors pick region as next to produce Nigeria’s president

    The 17 Southern governors on Monday agreed that Nigeria’s next president should emerge from their (southern) region.

    The governors also set September 21, 2021, as the deadline for the promulgation of anti-open grazing law among its member states.

    Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, said this while addressing journalists on Monday, after a closed-door meeting of the governors in Alausa, Lagos State.

    “The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region,” Governor Akeredolu said on behalf of the governors.

    The governors affirmed their commitment to the unity of Nigeria on the pillars of equity, fairness, justice, progress, and peaceful co-existence between and amongst its people.

    The governors also reinstated calls for state police and commended security operatives for their efforts in restoring security and safety and commiserated with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty.

    The Forum commended the National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and rejected the proposed 3% and support the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives.

     

    See the FULL communique by the governors below:

     

    COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING OF THE GOVERNORS OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA AT THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT HOUSE, IKEJA, LAGOS STATE, ON MONDAY, 5TH JULY, 2021 NIGERIA.

    The Southern Governors Forum at the end of the meeting held on Monday, 5th July 2021 reviewed the situation in the Country and focused on the current security situation, constitutional amendment, Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    Rising from the meeting, the Forum agreed on the following:

    Re-affirmed their commitment to the unity of Nigeria on the pillars of equity, fairness, justice, progress, and peaceful co-existence between and amongst its people.
    The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region.
    Security. a. The Forum reviewed the security situation in the country and commends security operatives for their relentless efforts in restoring security and safety and commiserates with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty; b. Re-emphasized the need for State Police; c. Resolved that if for any reason security institutions need to undertake an operation in any State, the Chief Security Officer of the State must be duly informed; d. the forum frowns at selective criminal administration of Justice and resolved that arrests should be made within the ambit of the Law and fundamental human rights; e. Set a timeline of Wednesday, 1st September 2021 for the promulgation of the anti-open grazing law in all Member States; and f. Resolved that Funds deducted from the Federation Account for the Nigeria Police Security Trust Fund should be distributed among the States and Federal Government to combat security challenges.

    Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) Law: i. The Forum commends the National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the PIB; ii. the Forum rejects the proposed 3% and support the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives; iii. the forum also rejects the proposed 30% share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins; iv. However, the forum rejects the ownership structure of the proposed Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). The Forum disagrees that the company be vested in the Federal Ministry of Finance but should be held in trust by Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) since all tiers of Government have stakes in that vehicle.

    In order to consolidate our democracy and strengthen the Electoral process, the Southern Governors’ Forum rejects the removal of the Electronic transmission of the election result from the electoral act; and also rejects the confirmation of exclusive jurisdiction in pre-election matters on the Federal High Court.

    The Forum unanimously chose Lagos State as its permanent secretariat and appreciated the Governor of Lagos State for the wonderful hosting of this meeting while commending him for his good work in the State.

    Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN

    Governor, Ondo State, and Chairman, Southern Governors’ Forum

  • Ayade, Obiano absent as Sanwo-Olu hosts Southern governors in Lagos

    Ayade, Obiano absent as Sanwo-Olu hosts Southern governors in Lagos

    A meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum scheduled for today has begun.

    The meeting is hosted by Lagos Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu.

    Governors in attendance include Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Gboyega Oyetola (Osun); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).

    Others are Duoye Diri (Bayelsa); Emeka Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom).

    Deputy Governors Philip Shaibu (Edo), Ude Chukwu (Abia), Placid Njoku (Imo) and Kelechi Igwe (Ebonyi) are representing their principals.

    Governors Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Ben Ayade (Cross River) are being expected.

    Details shortly…

  • Weeks after ‘Asaba Accord’, Southern governors meet again in Lagos on Monday

    Weeks after ‘Asaba Accord’, Southern governors meet again in Lagos on Monday

    Southern governors will on Monday converge in Lagos for a meeting, following the recent one held last May 11, 2021, in Asaba, the Delta State capital, which focus was on recent happenings in the polity and security concerns in the country and particularly in their domain.

    The planned meeting, which is to be hosted by the Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will take place at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, with all the 17 governors in the region expected to attend.

    The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed that the parley would discuss issues relating to Insecurity, True Federalism, Open Grazing, State Police, restructuring, food security, among others.

    Besides, it was learnt that the meeting is expected to discuss the gains of the last meeting and the next move to make.

    It would be recalled that the governors, at the last meeting which was hosted by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and attended by 15 of the 17 Southern governors, arrived at a 12-point resolution which included the banning of Open Grazing of cattle in all the states.

    They also agreed that the progress of the nation required that urgent and bold steps be taken to restructure the Nigerian Federation leading to the evolution of State Police, even as they called for the review of revenue allocation formula in favour of the sub-national governments as well as the creation of other institutions which legitimately advance commitment to the practice of true federalism.

  • Why Southern Governors recommended national dialogue, true federalism – Okowa

    Why Southern Governors recommended national dialogue, true federalism – Okowa

    Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has explained why the Southern Governors’ Forum’s called for national dialogue.

    Southern Governors, in a communiqué after their meeting in Asaba in May, called for dialogue and true federalism.

    The call, he said, was to allow for frank discussions on challenges confronting the country.

    Okowa, who spoke in Asaba on Thursday, said the many agitations for secession were due to the perceived injustice in the polity.

    He said proposed national dialogue would discuss and resolve the agitations in the interest of unity.

    According to him: “We need to be able to accommodate those voices and that is why the Southern Governors’ Forum actually did call for a national dialogue because when people sit together to dialogue with themselves, they are able to speak their inner minds, they are able to find ways of resolving.

    “So, we truly believe that in the communication process there must be a space for people to air their views and we also advise that there is still a lot of room to talk; so, our people should not take up arms instead of talking with their voices.

    “We believe that in taking up arms, we are not doing any good to Nigeria and we are not doing any good to our individual communities.”

    He called on leaders across the country not to stifle the voice of the oppressed but urged them to build a consensus to ensure peace pervades the nooks and crannies of the country.

    “For those of us in the governance space, we also need to continue to hear the people and to give room for people to air their opinions on national issues.

    “We believe that if there is a national dialogue, obviously it will help to reduce the tension that we have today as a nation.

    “There is no doubt that we are stronger together as a nation and everything that is possible to keep us together as a nation, the better for us.

    “It is for us to be able to manage the current threats in the country in such a manner that we do not lose out at the end of the day.

    “There must be an approach that brings us together where we are able to talk freely to ourselves and we are able to ensure that at the end of the day there is justice, fairness and equity because it is the best for the nation.

    “In our communications, let us appeal to Nigerians to know that we are better together than going our individual ways, but I also believe that as a nation we need to talk to ourselves and be able to listen to the voices of those who feel challenged or oppressed,” the Governor stated.