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Northern youths decry smear campaign against FIRS Chairman

A coalition of youth groups in Northern Nigeria, under the aegis of the Northern Youths Movement (NYM), has decried a campaign mounted against the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr Zacch Adedeji, saying it’s unwarranted and uncalled for.

The NYM, in a statement on Wednesday, signed by its Chairman, Ishaya Jato, said it was alarming that people could mount a smear campaign against Dr. Zacch Adedeji on the faulty ground that the FIRS boss was interfering with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in its investigation of corruption allegation against the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein.

The youths said it was funny that those behind the online campaign “premised their falsehood on the purported appointment of a former ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, as the FIRS Chairman’s Special Adviser,” and wondered how it had become an offence for a former ICPC Chairman to be offered an appointment to serve the country in whatever capacity.

The group also noted that the allegation was not only laughable; it also ran against logic that such an issue could serve as a basis for campaigning against Dr. Adedeji, “considering the obviously frivolous nature of the allegation.”

According to the group, Dr. Adedeji and the FIRS should not be distracted at a time like this by frivolous allegations because “what Nigerians are interested in is whether or not Dr. Zacch Adedeji is doing his job and achieving results to shore up the revenue of the country, and he is doing just that.”

The youths said it was “clear that some people were not happy with Dr. Adedeji’s achievements in the FIRS within his one year in office as Chairman and they are out to scandalise him,” saying “discerning Nigerians are behind the FIRS boss and smear campaign against him will achieve nothing because it’s an exercise in futility.”

Jato said in the statement: “Our question is, assuming but not conceding that Dr. Zacch Adedeji actually appointed Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye as his Special Adviser, how is that wrong? Shouldn’t someone have a life again just because he once served as ICPC Chairman?

“Obviously, those behind the smear campaign against Dr. Adedeji must have searched through his one-year records in the FIRS and found nothing negative to use against him. Hence, their resolve to cook up stories, but they have failed from the beginning because the FIRS Chairman has not been found wanting in the performance of his duties.

“For instance, it is to his credit that non-oil revenue has increased significantly, and more than 200,000 new taxpayers and an over 20 percent increase in tax compliance were recorded as of September 2024.

“It is also to his credit that the tax payment system has been simplified and unified such that taxpayers no longer need to visit FIRS offices. With the click of a button, all tax payments can be made.

“Adedeji’s leadership of the FIRS simplified tax processes and payments nationwide, making them more convenient and reducing the cost of compliance and administration.

“Therefore, we urge those sponsoring publication of outright falsehood against the FIRS Chairman to desist and find something beneficial to do with themselves.”

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