There are indications that the tenure of Babatunde Fowler as
executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will not be
renewed following President Muhammadu Buhari’s misgivings about his
stewardship.
Fowler, whose tenure expired on Saturday, has been
questioned over revenue collection under his watch.
In a letter circulating on social media and dated August 8,
2019, Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president, the FIRS chairman was given up till August 19
to respond to the query — two days after his tenure would have expired.
He was expected to have handed over to the next most senior
person in FIRS having been appointed for a renewable term of four years on
August 18, 2015.
In the letter, Kyari wrote: “Your attached letter
(FIRS/EC/CWP/0249/19/027 dated 26 July 2019) on the above subject matter,
refers.
“We observed significant variances between the budgeted
collections and actual collections for the period 2015 to 2018. Accordingly,
you are kindly invited to submit a comprehensive variance analysis explaining
the reasons for the variances between budgeted and actual collections for each
main tax item for each of the years 2015 to 2018.
“Furthermore, we observed that the actual collections for
the period 2015 to 2017 were significantly worse than what was collected
between 2012 and 2014. Accordingly, you are kindly to explain the reasons for
the poor collections.
“You are kindly invited to respond by 19 August 2019.
“Please accept the assurances of my highest regards.”
TheCable reports that Fowler might be yet another victim
of the cold war in the presidency which has already claimed Okechukwu Enelamah,
former minister of trade and investment, who was not re-nominated.
Fowler is a long-term friend and associated of
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who is believed to have nominated him for the
FIRS position in 2015.
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