 Governors of Northern states take the exact opposite of the decisions of the Assortment counterbats. Reject power shifts to the South and vat collection by states. The Investigative Report reveals culture of corruption and vallism of the Nigeria Immigration Service. These likely responsible for the shortage of passports will be speaking with the investigative journalist David And the United Kingdom launches temporary work visas for truck drivers, farmers and poultry workers. Welcome to the breakfast on Plot TV Africa. It's a really good day today for most people around the world and we'll share more details about that on our top trending welcome again to the breakfast I am Annette Felix. Welcome to the second episode of the week. Tuesday morning we hope that it goes as smooth as can possibly be. Good morning. While we wait for that good news regarding you know that global story I mentioned let's start from home Nigeria. We know the stance Southern Governors have taken regarding vat collection and you know the open grays and laws and all of that and we've been looking to the Northern Governors to come together have their own meeting and let us know what they think. Let's see if we're finding an alignment of voices regarding these issues. So they met yesterday the Northern Governors Forum met yesterday and it was in Kaduna and some of the outcomes of the decision was one that they were against zoning to the south which lots of people have been clamoring for. We have agitations from the indigenous people of Biafra, the agitations from the the south as well regarding Sunday Buhu agitations for Euroban nation Afeni for agitating as well and people have been saying maybe zoning to the south would solve all of this but the Northern Governors rejected this blatantly. Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plato State Simon along issued a statement after the meeting. Let's read that out for you. He said that the statement to zone power to the south is a contradiction to the provisions of Nigeria's Constitution. He said that according to the Constitution Nigeria's elected president will score the majority of votes you know in at least 25 percent of votes cast in two or three states of the Federation and not that you know the president should be from a particular region it's the president should be someone who wins the election you know with the majority of votes. I'm speaking also regarding the value at a tax controversy he said that that has been confused as states by the state government as sales tax. He also said that if states enact their own VAT laws multiple taxation will result and there will be increase in prices of goods and services and they'll be collapsed in interstate trade. Simon along also said that VAT is not production tax and that there's also a confusion regarding the overall effect of tax and that when people have been saying oh southern states generate so much and the northern states generating little and get a lot he's explaining that the reason for this is that Lagos accounts for over 50 percent of VAT collection because most telecommunication companies banks manufacturing and all the trading activities have their headquarters in Lagos and that's the simple reason why you know he also mentioned that unless the Supreme Court pronounces judgment on this substantive matter between the river state government and the federal government the matter is subjudiced and that the northern state government governments forum would respect that so it's basically now two sides northern governors on VAT and zoning as well as an as a southern governor's on VAT and zoning. Well so I've always not I've always wanted you know the conversation and value at the tax to not be a north versus south thing you know it's really about the viability of states and that's really where the conversation should be but unfortunately with Nigerian politics they always would bring in the you know regional you know angles to some of all of these things that really should be about viability of states sadly a lot of these northern states really are not viable if you've been honest with ourselves and you know with regards creating value you know a lot of them have not been able to also understand that it is about the value of being able to create in your state that should increase the amount of value at the tax that you know you pay and you know the argument that you know there'll be multiple taxation really doesn't work but of course they will put all those things forward to you know create you know you know a narrative you know for their stance. I would move away from value at the tax as we're talking about that too much. The conversation concerned in north versus south with regards you know zoning I've said it over and over that politics really has always been a game of interest and not just here in Nigeria and so the northern governors and whoever else you know is taking a stance based on their own interest and what they think that they would benefit. A few years ago these same people would have said it was time for the north to rule but now that it seems like that may not be coming their way anymore you know they obviously would take a totally different stance at all different narrative a lot of those people who are having this argument you know would have argued a few years ago 2019-2015 that it was time for the north but now they suddenly do not agree that it has anything to do with zoning or have anything to do with federal characters now based on what the Constitution says which of course you know you can basically read between the lines and see the reasons they are putting out these narratives. It's always about interest and what they think they can benefit. Sadly there are you know some PDP governors in you know these are northern governors I think the northern states have about five PDP governors. The you know majority of PDP governors are in the south and they've not been able to convince their PDP governors in north to you know take a totally different stance. So you think there should be a line along the lines of their party? Yeah it would eventually fall down to parties and you know and it's one thing that you've seen lately that people have you know most of the comments that I've seen a lot of people would say that they don't care what political party it is you know as long as that the candidates from the south that's where they are voting and that's most of the narrative that I've seen on social media they're voting any candidate from the south regardless of what political party and if the PDP decides to pick a northern candidate they've lost their vote I've seen those comments come you know every now and then but that's you know a new angle to it. The big question for me really and I think that's what everyone should be really focused on is why is there that semenphobia for a northern candidate in 2023 and I feel it's really because of the way the last eight years well in 2023 has been run and the way President Muhammad Abu A'rae has you know run the country in the last eight you know years in 2023 eight years and that's really where all these conversations are coming from and there's a little phobia there's a lot of people who already think they don't want to take that risk again with putting someone from the north there and it's not because you know every candidate from the north is bad or would be terrible for Nigeria because we've had you know a lot of northern presidents we've had Yair Adouard there before and you know it was a totally different energy but the way that the current administration has run Nigeria that's where all this energy is coming from and this phobia is coming from and now Northern Governors suddenly remember that there is a constitution and it has to do with 25% and what not they're saying but most of the conversations you know that I have seen have said simply that whoever it is that presents a southern candidate that's who they are voting for they don't care what party it is you know I've also some people who say that they don't you know the APC will never get their votes regardless of what is the north or west or east or middle belt candidate that they put forward but that's where all these conversations coming from the Northern Governors also finally should realize that the most important thing the place the same place that they had this meeting yesterday in Kaduna lost about 50 lives in the last 48 hours to you know banditry and and and I'm sorry Boko Haraman whatever you know there's videos and pictures of people who have murdered dozens of people that same state is where they having discussions on you know whether it's a northern candidate or southern candidate in 2023 what is most important to the Kaduna state governor now should be Bethlehem high school it should be the people who have been killed in a state it should be protecting life and property in the state and that should be the only thing of utmost importance not whether you know who's gonna be running for president in 2023 interesting angles there looking forward to you know talk more about this with some political and economic experts later on on the breakfast we have a track for you there let's let's take a look with a view to promoting unity and peace in the nation not with standing there comments the forum unanimously condemn the statement by the southern governor's forum that the presidency must go to the south the statement is quite contradictory with the provision of the constitution of the federal public of Nigeria 1999 as amended that the elected president shall score the majority vote he score at least 25% of the votes cast in two states of the federation see in the case of run-off simple majority win the election will win the election the northern state governor form consider the ongoing national debate on collection of value value at the tax VAT as responsible leaders while we are concerned by the fact that the matter is subject to this we however for the purposes of educating the public make the following observations a the judgment of the federal high court calls to question the constitutionality of VAT withholding tax education tax manager director development commission national information technology development agency 13% derivation national economic development council and many other currently levied and collected by the federal government of Nigeria and the federal in-lands revenue service be reverse and local state government had enacted their own VAT laws and the southern governor's forum has have expressed support for this course of action see VAT is being confused by these state governments as a sales tax if every state enacted is on VAT law multiple taxation will resolve an increase of prices of goods and services and collapse in interstate trade VAT is not a production tax like ex exes but terminal tax which is paid by the ultimate consumer just a quick clips from the northern governor's meeting yesterday and of course we have a you know extensive discussion about this sometime during the show this morning so stay with us and we will look deeper into some of those details and next to our our next uptrend in story the United Kingdom currently is facing labor shortages in the haulage and food industry so they're basically saying that these challenges have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic concerns with Brexit and an age in population so right now the UK says and this is definitely from a logistics company in the UK that the UK needs about 90,000 truck drivers and just on the back of that to solve this challenges regarding the delivery of fuel products and goods as well the United Kingdom has launched a special work visa and that's for immigrants lorry drivers and farmers as well as portrait workers in a country so I mean that really is the gist of it the United Kingdom right now is facing challenges they need drivers they need portrait workers they need farmers and they're saying let's solve this by opening our borders and let people from Nigeria and other countries coming you get visas to work in the UK for three months and that visa would expire by the eve of Christmas so lots of my insurance really have been talking about this on social media saying rather than spend all my time in class reading and reading and having the first class and now I have no job I should have spent my time learning how to drive a truck out of gone to the UK make so much money convert that to Naira and you're a rich man by Christmas yeah and you know besides the I think the lack of truck drivers has also created a petrol scarcity in the UK also it's not very familiar pictures that we've seen videos that we've seen you know with petrol there's actually no fuel scarcity according to the news there is fuel I mean what I've seen on a channel is the fact that they do not have enough drivers so actually no there's no fuel scarcity there is fuel it is the drivers who should you know make that delivery so there's a difference the problem is with the distribution not with the availability of fuel I don't know if you get that correct so there's fuel but there's no fuel in it yes there's a problem with distribution not to the availability of fuel great but there's fuel but there's no fuel in the station so there's a scarcity in stations right it's the same thing when it's not the strike in Nigeria or goes on strike and they say oh truck drivers Nigerian strike and there's petrol scarcity so it's the same thing I'm saying the lack of drivers has the lack of truck drivers has created a full scarcity in the UK it's not because that of course I know that it's where petrol Jesus Christ anyway focus really is immigration to the UK yes you know I wouldn't you know blame any Nigerian who decides to leave whatever job they've been doing here you know I think the focus for many people who are moving there of course a lot of those a lot of them can drive trucks but a lot of the flight tickets so while you figure it out you know you will find find a way around it I think I spoke about this yesterday or two days ago that the wave they call it the jack bar wave that is currently going on in Nigeria very likely has not been witnessed in a very very long time maybe you know during Abacha's time or you know President Boris time when he was military inspector in you know in the 80s those are the only two times that we've seen these number of Nigerians leaving the country in droves you know and I'm not talking about just doctors now I'm talking to people who have every skill whatsoever if you go online you know go go on you know social media you would see just set for the hashtag goodbye Nigeria there's so many and you know they are all moving to Finland to Switzerland Australia UK Canada wherever it is to find greener pastures they are not 100% sure what it exactly would be like but at least it gives them a chance of you know some hope that things will be better when they get there so yes the UK would have its own struggles and you know somehow somewhere I'm sure the government will be able to balance things out they would also have to find their foot in again after Brexit they would have to you know renegotiate a lot of you know decisions that they've taken I believe but you know it will you know and I'm sure that they will be able to populate they're talking about 10,000 and then even more truck drivers and drivers in every other you know manual space like that so they would be able to fill up that space there's many many many many people from different countries that are trying to get into the UK I just don't know what happens next and like you said the visa expires you know and just before Christmas I don't know what happens next if most of these people will come back or not or they would be there but but we know that the UK would definitely take serious measures to make sure these people are properly documented and they can find and trick track them but we know Nigerians and we know people who have even gone to the Olympics and never came back yeah so there's been stories like that so it just means that with this tens of thousands of Nigerians and other immigrants who'll be coming into the UK not all of them might come back at the end of Christmas no I'm sure they're there well it's an interesting time across the world you know and you know I'm sure that the United Kingdom itself will be able to figure this out and it's also a great opportunity let's also quickly note that it's not just truck drivers you know there is many fields even in healthcare that are seriously lacking in the UK that will be populated I saw a picture two days ago a thing on Twitter where a person said took a picture you know in a healthcare facility in the UK that had about seven Nigerian nurses that had moved in sometime this year yes and they were all working and he himself was surrounded by all seven of them so it's it's it's an interesting time to see how much people would take advantage of this time and relocate and leave Nigeria. So our next uptrending story you know goes back to what I mentioned earlier you know the fact that lots of women really have seen what's happened in the US right now as a victory regarding justice. Arakeli Arabian R&B singer has been facing charges of you know sexual assault, sex trafficking, racketeering and all of that and yesterday after about a nine hour debate jurors said they found him guilty of one count of racketeering and about eight counts you know of violating the man act which is an act in the US that's against sex trafficking so they basically said that Arakeli was found guilty of running an enterprise through which he exploited his power and his time to prey on underage girls young women and at least two male victims. He should be sentenced by May 4th 2022 and the US attorney in the district of New York said that the verdict of yesterday forever brands Arakeli as a predator who used his fame and his fortune to to prey on the young on the vulnerable and on the voiceless for his own sexual gratification. They basically went on and on to say that he ensnared girls in a web of sex abuse exploitation and humiliation and commended the girls for their bravery in coming out to speak you know about this and to share their stories. Even though at first you know people didn't believe some of these girls when you come out to say Arakeli sexually harassed them or all of that but finally years later it's all been brought to the table and Arakeli has been found guilty of sex trafficking. Good luck to him there's lawyer in an interview yesterday was saying that he was going to appeal you know but I don't think it there's any way on earth except maybe true maybe death is the only way that Arakeli will you know evade jail and I'm very I'm talking about jail for a very very long time if not if not life imprisonment but jail for at least 30 50 years. There's no way that he's going to evade any of that because of course the he has court cases in many other states not just you know the one that we're speaking about now there's other states that he's been accused of the same you know similar crimes and you know I think we've said it here before that you know no matter how big or how popular you are it's just one tiny mistake here that when you lose control of yourself that eventually ruins that career pretty much the same thing almost happened to Bill Cosby but obviously there's a very very far cry from the Bill Cosby case you know to the Arakeli case Arakeli's case is you know it's concerning dozens of girls you know from you know when he was just a rising you know star back then and you like you mentioned is you know also includes males and so he basically ran a very very dirty dirty life as a career and abusive life as a superstar. There's no difference really between him and Epstein or what's his name the Jeffrey Epstein yeah really not different the only differences are one is white and one is black but he really will never in any way evade jail and it's definitely vitri for every person who had to suffer you know from his atrocities and Aliyah himself who was one of the most popular also he got married to when she was just 15 and so they were very likely already he was abusing her sexually you know and eventually got to marry her at that age falsified records bribed some officials to and you know to get her married at that age so good luck to him it's gonna be some of his wife in jail obviously you should enjoy it. Oh my wicked alright that's our Top Trending Stories this morning and we'll take a break here and we turn with off the press across the papers we're seeing the issue between the north and south regarding our shift for 2023 more on that after the break.