The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and the governments of Adamawa, Plateau, and Kaduna States, are reportedly set to join the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, in its appeal against the judgement of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, that empowers Rivers State to exclusively collect Value Added Tax, VAT, within its State, .
Sources close to the AGF, at the weekend, disclosed that the three States would file a leave of the court to be joined in the suit, on Tuesday.
Although the AGF is already a Defendant in the appeal, the Source hinted that the Federal Ministry of Justice, under the AGF, has opted to be part of the Appellant in the matter, so as to enable it argue effectively in support of the FIRS.
The Source said: “They are going to seek to be joined in the suit as co-Appellants against the Federal High Court’s judgment that favours Rivers State.
“These States understand the possible consequences if the final judgement at the Supreme Court goes against the FIRS. They are going to take the fight as if it is theirs.”
The Source also added that more States, especially Kogi and Zamfara States, are going to be joining the suit to form a coalition with the FIRS.
More news later…