Lagos state government’s application to become a co-respondent in an appeal filed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) after a federal high court granted Rivers state government the power to collect Value Added Tax, has been granted by the court of appeal, Abuja division.
Granting the appeal, the presiding justice Haruna Tsammani held that Lagos state has been able to prove that it has a direct interest in the subject matter of this appeal and the previous judgement which backed Rivers state government claim to VAT collection made reference to “any other state of the federation.”
Tsammani said: “It is not in doubt that Lagos state is a constituent state in Nigeria.
“It is, therefore, my finding that the applicant has been able to establish that he has a direct case in the subject matter of this appeal.
“The application for joinder is in the appeal as the third respondent is accordingly granted.”
The Court of Appeal justice also directed that all the processes in the suit should be served on the state.
Oyo state government has also filed an application to be joined as co-respondent in the case.