The Untold Story Of Why Tinubu's Man,Tunde Fowler Was Removed As FIRS Boss - AMEBO NEWSPAPERS NG.

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The Untold Story Of Why Tinubu's Man,Tunde Fowler Was Removed As FIRS Boss

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Today, the news of the removal of FIRS Chairman, Mr Babatunde Fowler, whose tenure expired yesterday rented the social media space. His tenure, which was subject to renewal, expired yesterday, December 9th 2019.

For some undisclosed reasons, President Buhari did not extend his tenure, even after the numerous celebrated achievements of FIRS, and has instead opted for Mohammad Nami as Fowler's replacement subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Sometime in June 2019, there were media reports of how a group of FIRS Staff purportedly wrote an open letter to President Buhari, detailing his atrocities and how the FIRS boss, Tunde Fowler allegedly ruined FIRS, while asking Buhari not to re-appoint him on the expiration of his tenure on December 8th, 2019.

In the open letter, the group has advised President Buhari not to re-appoint Babatunde Fowler because of the alleged atrocities and infractions allegedly perpetrated by the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS Babatunde Fowler. They also recommended that the activities of the Tax Boss be investigated from when he was appointed to date and he should be prosecuted for all infractions he has committed in office as boss of FIRS.

According to Sahara Reports, other allegations against the FIRS boss include extravagant spending on concerts and social parties in Lagos, Port Harcourt and other major cities within and outside country; frivolous donations and gifts to organizations while FIRS staff entitlements for official engagements would take a long time to be settled.

They also accused Mr. Fowler of telling "corporate and institutional" lies about FIRS performance, claiming that while Mr. Fowler announced N1.5 trillion as tax revenue in the first quarter of 2019, the actual revenue collected was N1.07 trillion.

The group also accused him of illegal recruitment of over 700 staff without following due process. He was also accused of the suspension of tax audit and case investigation functions in various field offices since January 2016; the engagement of friends and associates as FIRS consultants to carry out core tax functions of audit, investigations, taxpayers’ registrations and other related services.

In a letter dated August 8, 2019, and signed by the Chief Of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, Mr. Fowler was queried over the revenue collected from 2015 to 2018 as FIRS boss. The query requested him to explain significant variances between the budgeted collections and actual collections for the period 2015 to 2018. 

President Muhammadu Buhari also summoned the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, to the Presidential Villa in August 2019, to explain the tax collection variations between 2015 and 2018.

However, a Federal High Court sitting Kano had dismissed a lawsuit seeking the removal of FIRS boss, Mr. Tunde Fowler from office, claiming his tenure had expired. An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Okwara in the suit (No FHC/KN/CS/141/2019), had asked a Federal High Court sitting in Kano to order Fowler to vacate his office, which he claimed expired on August 18, 2019.

The plaintiff had claimed that Fowler was appointed on the 20 August 2015, arguing that his tenure as Federal Inland Revenue Service Chairman lapsed after the 20th August 2019. The defendant's lawyer, Paul Erokoro noted in a notice of preliminary objection dated 30 September and filed on the same day that, Okwara failed to disclose any special interest.

However, given Okwara’s failure to establish his locus standi to commence the suit and for failing to abide by Section 55 of the FIRS Establishment Act by filing a pre-action notice on the FIRS Chairman, for failing to present any reasonable cause of action, Erokoro asked the court to strike out the lawsuit.

According to Barry Chukwu, a lawyer with the FIRS, in an affidavit dated 30 September, President Buhari forwarded Fowler’s name to the Senate for appointment as the substantive Executive Chairman of the FIRS on 21 August 2015 for confirmation by the Senate, but he was formally confirmed 10th December 2019. Hence, His tenure started when his appointment was confirmed by the Nigerian Senate.

Mr Fowler is a friend to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and has also worked under Tinubu as permanent secretary/executive chairman of the Lagos State board of internal revenue on November 24, 2005.

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