Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, a former media aide to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has shown his support for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers over the latter’s move to stop the Nigerian Government from collecting Value Added Tax from the oil-rich South-South state.

On Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting with oil companies and business owners in the state, Wike noted that companies based in the state are to start paying VAT to the state government.

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had on August 10 restrained the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from collecting VAT and personal income tax in Rivers State.

Following the court’s judgement, Wike signed the VAT Law No. 4 of 2021 on August 19.

Although the FIRS had contested the ruling in the Appeal Court, it, however, failed to obtain a stay of execution it sought to prevent the state government from enforcing the verdict.

Reacting to Wike’s stance on the VAT issue, Tanko-Yakassi, also known as Dawisu, said he is in support of the Rivers State Governor.

Dawisu added that any northerner who is attacking Wike on the issue doesn’t mean well for his region as the step will make those in the North look inwards on how to revive improve their economy.

He wrote: “Any northerner that’s attacking Wike on this VAT issue does not mean well for his region. On this, I’m with Wike 100%. It’s time we look inwards & do some soul searching on how to revive our economic status in this country. To me, this is a wake-up call to Arewa leaders & followers.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Thursday passed the state’s Value Added Tax (VAT) bill.

The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, after the passage of the bill, directed the Acting Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit a clean copy to the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent.