The Nigeria Governors Forum, comprising the 36 state governors, has announced plans to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to appeal for the presentation of the new revenue draft formula to the National Assembly before May 29, 2023, when a new government will assume power.

The appeal comes after the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission submitted a report on the review of the vertical allocation formula to the President in April 2022.

The report proposed a revenue-sharing formula of 45.17% to the Federal Government, 29.79% to the states, and 21.04% to local governments, a departure from the current revenue-sharing arrangement that sees the Federal Government taking home 52.68% while the state and local governments receive 26.72% and 20.60% respectively. The Forum intends to request that the President present the new draft formula to the National Assembly for necessary action.

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The Governors held a meeting that lasted over three hours and discussed several issues, including financial regulations set by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, primary healthcare, and stamp duties. Some states that had attained certain milestones were expected to receive awards for their performance in primary healthcare.

Additionally, the Forum discussed the issue of stamp duties owed to the Federal and state governments, which are being warehoused by the Central Bank. The Forum seeks to ensure that the funds are released for disbursement to both the Federal Government and the states.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, expressed satisfaction with the Forum’s achievements and its commitment to maintaining the unity, cohesion, and non-partisanship of the platform. He noted that the Forum always prioritizes Nigeria first and various states in its activities.