The Northern Governors Forum has faulted the insistence by their counterparts in the South that the region (South) must produce the president in 2023, saying such a call negates the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
It said the statement (that presidency must go to the South) is contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which states that the elected President shall: score the majority votes; score at least 25 percent of the total votes cast in two-thirds states of the Federation; and that in the case of run-up, simple majority win the election.
This was part of the resolutions of a meeting the Northern Governors had with Northern States Emirs and Chiefs, held on Monday September 27, 2021 at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
The meeting was also attended by chairmen of Northern States Traditional Council, led by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar.
The Northern State Governors Forum also considered the ongoing national debate on the collection of Value Added Tax, noting that the judgment 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.”
It, however, cautioned that until the Supreme Court pronounces judgement on the substantive matter between Rivers State and the federal government, the matter is subjudice “and Northern States Governors Forum would respect this.”
It observed the need for sustained synergy and coordinated efforts between the federal and northern states governments.
The forum applauded the ongoing onslaught against banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram, especially in the North East and parts of the North West and North Central states, and encouraged the Armed Forces and other security agencies to sustain the tempo.
The Traditional Rulers Councils appreciated the efforts made so far by the NSGF in addressing the key areas of challenges facing the northern states, and expressed their willingness, solidarity and collaboration with the governors in addressing the challenges, particularly the issue of security.
The forum also called the federal government to expedite action on the National Livestock Transformation Programme as a spring board in transiting from the open grazing system as widely practice in the North.
The communiqué was signed by the chairman of the forum and governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
