The Attorneys-General of the 36 states will be meeting in Lagos State for three days from today to discuss the Value Added Tax (VAT), Paris Club refunds, and Stamp Duty, among others.
Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu will deliver the keynote address at the opening.
Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) and Simon Lalong (Plateau) are expected to speak at the meeting.
Lagos Attorney-General, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), who is the interim chairman of the Body of Attorneys-General of States of the Federation, will also make a presentation at the meeting.
Other issues to be discussed are the proposed amendments to the Stamp Duties Act, pensions and gratuity for judges, amendments to the 1999 Constitution, establishment of anti-corruption commissions in states, the FIRS threat to recover ‘unremitted tax deductions by states’, and local governments.
Other speakers are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Olumide Akpata and Director-General of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum, Asishana Okauru.
The body was established as part of efforts to form a formidable force of state Attorneys-General to take positions on legal issues, advise the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and take legal action or review legal actions taken on behalf of all states.
Part of its mandate includes the pursuit of true federalism, adherence to the constitution, rule of law, independence of the judiciary, as well as liaison with the AGF on behalf of the states on legal issues.
The state Attorneys-General recently warned the Federal Government not to tamper with funds accruing to the states and the 774 Local Government Councils in the guise of satisfying the alleged $418 million London/Paris Club Loan refund-related judgment debts.
They had insisted that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed their opposition to the payment, is now subject of an Appeal.
They further warned that should the Federal Government proceed to make any such deduction, it would be acting illegally and in contempt of their appeal challenging the judgment, which is before the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.