Earlier, The Guardian reported that Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), had told members of the National Assembly that the current allocation of 70% of value-added tax (VAT) proceeds to Lagos, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is unfair to the remaining 34 states.
In response to this statement, Senator Shehu Sani took to his verified Twitter account on Tuesday, stating, "The revelation made by the FIRS Chairman before the House of Representatives, that only four states — Lagos, Rivers, Oyo, and the FCT — currently receive 70% of VAT proceeds, is unjust."
He further emphasized, "This is a strong justification for tax reform." Senator Sani also highlighted that MTN, for instance, pays most of its VAT to Lagos, even though all states benefit from its services.
The PDP chieftain continued, "I urge critics of the Bill to set aside their political biases and read the document carefully." He stressed, "The Bill aims to ensure fairness and equity by allocating more resources to other states. The concerns raised by opponents are not supported by the Bill, which should be backed to end the ongoing tax injustice."