Governors of the south-south region of Nigeria, during a meeting of the forum on Monday, reiterated their earlier resolve to set up a regional security outfit.
They have, however, not tagged a name to the security outfit or when outfit will be launched.
The governors similarly resolved that the governments of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Edo States would join in the suit challenging the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) by state governments. Rivers State is an active defendant in the legal challenge.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, chairman of the forum and governor of Delta State, in reading out the resolutions, said “we approve the regional security architecture which would be launched very soon.”
He also disclosed that the governors “unequivocally support the decision for states to collect VAT, value added tax, and resolve to join the suit before the Supreme Court.”
Governor Okowa further said that the forum also asked “the National Assembly and the President to take necessary measures to review some unfair aspects of the recently signed Petroleum Industry Bill, now Act, to ensure fairness and equity.”
