The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday granted a request by the Lagos State government to join Rivers State in the appeal filed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on the Value Added Tax (VAT).
FIRS had on September 8 appealed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Rivers State which held that the agency does not have the right to collect VAT in the State.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, Justice Haruna Tsammani, granted the request by the Lagos State government and ordered all processes filed to be served on the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo.
He held that Lagos State has proved that it has a direct interest in the subject matter, including the previous judgment which backed the Rivers State government’s claim on VAT collection.
He 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 cause in the subject matter of this appeal.
“The application for joinder is in the appeal as the third respondent is accordingly granted.”
The Oyo State government had also filed an application to be joined as co-respondent in the case.
