A former Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Monday Ubani, said: “I think the Court of Appeal in Abuja was very specific when it said the party that had a judgment in its favour should maintain the status quo pending the hearing of the appeal before the Court of Appeal.
What this means is that, for now, it is Rivers that got the favourable judgment from the lower court. I think the Court of Appeal specifically granted a stay because the court says the stay is against the person who has the favourable judgment and it is Rivers that have a favourable judgment in that case.
So, if the court specifically mentions that the party that has the favourable judgment should not do anything pending the hearing of the appeal, that means Rivers is specifically asked to stay execution of that judgement until the appeal is decided.
”Similarly, President of African Bar Association, AfBA, Mr Hannibal Uwaifo, said: “Rivers State is right to go ahead with the collection of VAT. That is the right thing to do. It is a constitutional matter.”
VAT law in Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, last Friday, signed the state VAT Bill into law less than 24 hours after it was passed by the state House of Assembly.
A statement by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said: “The Governor signed the bill for a law to impose and charge VAT on certain goods and services at about 11. 45 am today, after returning from an official trip to Abuja.
By this act, the Bill has now become a Law.”The state also got its request to join the legal battle against FIRS on a collection of VAT approved. A three-man panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal in Abuja granted the permission.
Also on Friday, Rivers Governor Wike inaugurated Tax Appeal Commission as a follow-up to the signing into law of the VAT Bill in the state.
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