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Governors back tax reform bills, reject VAT increase

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The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has finally thrown its weight behind the tax reform bills submitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly.

The state governors made this known in a communique issued on Thursday at the end of a meeting with the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, in Abuja.

In the communique signed by the NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the forum proposed an equitable sharing formula for Value-Added Tax.

The governors said the revised VAT sharing formula must ensure equitable distribution of resources of 50% based on equality, 30% based on derivation, and 20% based on population.

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The communique read, “We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Presidential Tax Reform Committee, convened on the 16th of January 2025 to deliberate on critical national issues, including the reform of Nigeria’s fiscal policies and tax system, and arrived at the following resolutions:

“The Forum reiterated its strong support for the comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s archaic tax laws. Members acknowledged the importance of modernising the tax system to enhance fiscal stability and align with global best practices.

“The Forum endorsed a revised Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing formula to ensure equitable distribution of resources: 50% based on equality, 30% based on derivation, and 20% based on population.

“Members agreed that there should be no increase in the VAT rate or reduction in Corporate Income Tax (CIT) at this time to maintain economic stability. The Forum advocated for the continued exemption of essential goods and agricultural produce from VAT to safeguard the welfare of citizens and promote agricultural productivity.”

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The governors stated that there should be no terminal clause for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure and National Information Technology Development Agency in the sharing of development levies in the bills.

They also supported the continuation of the legislative process at the National Assembly that will culminate in the eventual passage of the tax reform bills.

“The Forum reiterated its strong support for the comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s archaic tax laws. Members acknowledged the importance of modernising the tax system to enhance fiscal stability and align with global best practices,” the statement added.

PUNCH Online reports that on October 3, 2024, Tinubu transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration, following the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms for the review of existing tax laws.

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The bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which is expected to provide the fiscal framework for taxation in the country, and the Tax Administration Bill, which will provide a clear and concise legal framework for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes.

Others are the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, which will repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which will create a tax tribunal and a tax ombudsman.

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Osun Election: Accord Defeats APC in Omisore’s Polling Unit

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The Accord Party has defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polling unit of former Osun Deputy Governor and ex-APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in the ongoing Osun State governorship election.

According to results uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Accord secured 131 votes at Polling Unit 003, Ife Ward 1 (Moore), St. Gabriel Primary School, in Ife East Local Government Area.

The APC polled 85 votes to finish second, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded 10 votes. Other political parties obtained marginal votes at the polling unit.

The result adds to a series of early victories recorded by the Accord Party as INEC continues the uploading and collation of results across the state.

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Earlier, Accord also won at the polling unit of former Osun Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.

The result sheet uploaded on the IReV portal showed Accord polling 125 votes, ahead of the APC, which recorded 85 votes. The ADC secured five votes.

Meanwhile, INEC has continued to upload results from polling units across Osun State as the governorship election moves into the collation stage.

Voters across the state’s 30 local government areas cast their ballots on Saturday to elect a governor for the next four years.

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The major contenders in the election include the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam.

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Osun election: Oyinlola Loses Polling Unit to Accord Party

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The Accord Party has won the governorship election at the polling unit of former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.

According to the result sheet uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) IReV portal, Accord polled 125 votes to emerge victorious at the polling unit.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 85 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured five votes.

The African Action Congress (AAC) scored two votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) each recorded one vote.

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Other parties, including the AA, ADP, APGA, APM, APP, BP, NNPP and PRP, recorded no votes.

The result sheet showed that 228 voters were accredited, with 220 valid votes cast and eight rejected ballots.

The election was conducted at Court Hall I, Okuku, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.

The result comes against the backdrop of Oyinlola’s reported endorsement of the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the election.
Oyinlola, who governed Osun State from 2003 to 2010, had publicly backed Oyebamiji despite the APC candidate running against incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.

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The outcome at Oyinlola’s polling unit therefore puts the Accord Party ahead of the APC, with Adeleke’s party failing to secure the unit despite the incumbent governor’s participation in the election.

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Osun election: INEC officials take to their heels as violence erupts in Ejigbo

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Voting was disrupted in Ejigbo, Osun State, after violence broke out at a polling unit during the ongoing Osun State Governorship election.

It was gathered that voters, residents and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fled the polling unit as tension escalated around the area.

According to Channels TV, people were seen running in different directions while motorcycles and vehicles moved through the area as residents attempted to escape the unfolding situation.

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The immediate cause of the violence was not clear, as the chaos temporarily halted the ongoing electoral process.

The incident comes as voters come out in their numbers to partake in governorship election amid tight security.

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