The five Southeastern states in Nigeria collectively contributed N101.09 billion to the country’s Value Added Tax (VAT) pool in 2024 and received a staggering share of N341.45 billion in return.

According to data compiled by Agora Policy, a Nigerian think tank committed to finding practical solutions to national challenges, Lagos contributed 54% of the total non-import VAT, while 33 states collectively accounted for 19%.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were responsible for VAT collections during the year.

Out of the N6.72 trillion total VAT generated, FIRS collected N5.13 trillion, accounting for 76.3% of the pool, while NCS contributed N1.59 trillion, representing 23.7%.

Official figures revealed that VAT revenue for 2024 increased by 85%, rising from N3.64 trillion in 2023 to N6.72 trillion.

While the Southeastern states contributed relatively little to the VAT pool, the region received approximately 3.38 times their contributions.

The recently impeached Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has insisted that he remains the rightful speaker of the assembly based on constitutional provisions.

The Nation reports that Obasa made this declaration on Saturday in Ikeja GRA during a welcome event organized in his honor by supporters from Agege, Alimosho, and Kosofe local government areas.

Recall that Obasa was removed from office by his colleagues in the House over allegations of gross misconduct and financial mismanagement and replaced her Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda.

Addressing his removal, Obasa argued that the process did not follow constitutional procedures.

He, however, stated that he would accept his removal if it is carried out in accordance with constitutional guidelines.

The immediate-past governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu and the state party chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Elder Amah Abraham, have chastised PDP decampees as hungry, cannot endure hunger and suffering cosmic consequences.

Addressing Abia South faithful in his Obingwa country home on Saturday, when the state PDP Working Committee paid him a visit, they said the party has learnt its lessons and will not fail again.

Ikpeazu said, “We did to ourselves what is happening to us. If we want to correct it, we can. When I was hosting the Reconciliation Committee, I told them that their mandate by my own interpretation is not to reconcile aggrieved party people alone. Something is holding everybody, including me. This is because, anybody who has not reconciled himself, cannot reconcile another person.

He advised the reconciliation committee that if they approach anyone and the person refuses, the committee should find a youth to replace the person as a stakeholder.

The loss by PDP in Abia South, he said, is not his making, and assured them that he will fund the election and denied some deserters’ claim that their annoyances were that they ticked and turned around to ask people not to vote for them.

Earlier, Abraham said God has been faithful to the party and had granted them a special grace to be in Government for 24 years.

He described Ikpeazu as a product for national service and should forget contesting any other election”, and urged those bickering to come and contest as it is not Ikpeazu that is withholding them, adding that the party is going to conduct one of the freest primaries in the history of democracy in Africa. It is in your place to tell us who to represent you.

Meanwhile, The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Abia State, Abraham Amah has explained why the party lost the 2023 general elections in the state.

Amah identified fielding wrong candidates and embezzlement of election funds by party members as major reasons for PDP defeat.

He spoke at Abia North stakeholders and reconciliation meeting held at Abam, Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state.
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