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AG, Lagos State V. Eko Hotels (2017) 12(n) (SC)

Judgement delivered on December 8, 2017

Brief

  • Stare decisis
  • Value added tax
  • Taxable person
  • Covering the field
  • Lagos State Tax Law
  • Section 1 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 2 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 10 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 11 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 12 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 13 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 14 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 15 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 16 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 18 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 25 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 26 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree of 1993
  • Section 1 of the Sales Tax Law of Lagos State
  • Sales Tax (Schedule Amendment) Order 2000
  • Section 2 of the Sales Tax Law of Lagos State
  • Section 3 of the Sales Tax Law of Lagos State
  • Section 4 of the Sales Tax Law of Lagos State
  • Section 5 of the Sales Tax Law of Lagos State
  • Section 6 of the Sales Tax Law of Lagos State
  • Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 251(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 251(1)(r) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 315 (1) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 315 (a) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 315 (b) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 251(11)(b) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Sec. 236 of the 1979 Constitution now Section 272 of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 3(1) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 4(2) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 4(3) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 4(5) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 4(6) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 4(7) of the 1999 Constitution
  • Section 16 of the Court of Appeal Act

Facts

This appeal is against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division delivered on 13th July 2007 affirming the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos delivered on 20th December 2004 ordering the remittance of money collected as tax by the 1st respondent on its sales to its consumers to be paid to the 2nd respondent, the Federal Board of Inland Revenue.

The suit before the trial court was in the nature of interpleader proceedings. By an Originating Summons filed on the 5th day of March, 2004 the 1st respondent sought a determination by the trial court as to whether remittance of money collected as tax by it from its consumers should be paid to the Federal Board of Inland Revenue (FBIR) or to the Lagos State Government having regard to the provisions of Sections 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Decree No.102 of 1993 and Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Sales Tax Law Cap. 175 and Sales Tax (Schedule Amendment) Order 2000. It sought the following reliefs:

  • 1
    A declaration that the plaintiff can only be a "taxable person" or remitting agent in respect of the amount due as tax on its sales to its consumers to a single body or agency and not to state and Federal agencies together.
  • 2
    An order that the plaintiff is not entitled to pay or remit tax on its sales to its consumers to the defendants until the rightful body to collect same is determined.
  • 3
    An order directing the plaintiff to pay the amount due as tax on its sales to its consumers to a dedicated account until the rightfuI body to collect same is determined.

At the hearing of the appeal, S.A. QUADRI ESQ., Director Civil Litigation, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, leading Mrs. E.R. Agu, Chief State Counsel, adopted and relied on the appellant's brief which was deemed filed on 13/7/2009 in urging the court to allow the appeal. M.N.O. OLOPADE ESQ., leading IBIYE TYROLL THOMPSON ESQ. adopted and relied on the 1st respondent's brief deemed filed on 24/2/2010 in urging the court to dismiss the appeal. Similarly, MRS. B.H. ONIYANGI appearing with IBRAHIM ABDULLAH ESQ. adopted and relied on the 2nd respondent's brief deemed filed on 7/7/2010 in urging the court to dismiss the appeal.

Issues

Whether the court below was right when it held that the cases of:...

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