Africa-Press – Nigeria. Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, has kicked against the call by the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement for Zacch Adedeji to step for an investigation into what the group described as concerns about his “lifestyle”.
Atoyebi criticised the group’s demand, insisting that the organisation failed to outline any wrongdoing on the part of her principal, Adedeji.
She argued that the call amounted to “a sponsored campaign of calumny”, describing it as an attempt to undermine one of the most effective sectors of government.
According to Atoyebi, “theirs is a sponsored campaign of calumny against a resourceful, cerebrally adroit man who is navigating Nigeria out of financial doldrums”.
She questioned why the group would target “the most vibrant and working sector,” noting that the FIRS under Adedeji had revitalised public revenue generation and reduced dependence on borrowing.
Atoyebi highlighted several achievements attributed to the FIRS chairman, including reforms that plugged revenue leakages and strengthened the country’s progressive tax system.
She further argued that any attack on the chairman was effectively “an attack on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, given the central role of revenue mobilisation in the government’s economic agenda.
The statement also credited Adedeji with surpassing revenue targets and improving staff welfare, which she said had bolstered morale within the service.
Calling for an investigation into the motives of the Arewa group, Atoyebi urged security agencies to “urgently investigate those behind it as they qualify as enemies of state.”
She concluded that Adedeji should be allowed to focus on completing his reforms without distractions, adding that “those desiring to take over the service from him should wait for him to run his term.”
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