YET AGAIN, ANOTHER REITERATION OF A TISSUE OF LIES

*So-called Unexplained FIRS N40B Campaign Fund



First it was N90B, but now N40B. Which is which? It took a disgruntled politician to convey the fake news of N90B, now it is the services of an unquestioning PR newswire that is passing on the unsupported, baseless N40B bogus allegation. Whichever way whoever is behind this, a lie is a lie is a lie!


In any case FIRS statement bears repeating. Please read it closely and decide for yourself who is lying.

The attention of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, has been drawn to publication in some online and daily newspapers by a certain Comrade Timi Frank, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who claimed that the FIRS supported the`APC, through the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with a phantom N90 billion.



The FIRS wishes to state as follows:



1. That the entire allegation being spread by one Frank Timi that the Federal Inland Revenue Service spent N90billion to fund the last election is mendacious, wicked, malicious and a calculated attempt to smear the image of the Service and that of his Excellency, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. This campaign of calumny and villifying false claims are entirely, libellous, unfounded in fact, irresponsible and a brazen assault on the integrity of the Service as a responsible and accountable organisation and demonstrates an abysmal ignorance of the budgetary and expenditure process of the FIRS.



2. That in the last four years since Mr. Tunde Fowler has supervised operations at the FIRS, the agency had not received up to N100 billion, per annum, as Cost of Collection from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC. FAAC is a public institution, whose records are open to the public.



3. That it is from the remittances from FAAC—which had never grossed up to N100 billion, PER ANNUM, that FIRS pays the salary and emoluments and trains it’s over 8000 staff, runs over 150 offices and provides for other needs of the Service.



4. That given the above, IT IS NOT PLAUSIBLE nor DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE that FIRS will commit its resources to a phantom campaign of N90 billion as suggested by Mr. Timi Frank and FIRS does not fund political associations.



5. That FIRS is a creation of statute and its activities are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and financials regulations and thus, IT IS NOT PLAUSIBLE, that its funds could be expended in such a cavalier manner as suggested by Mr. Timi Frank.



6. That FIRS Budget and expenditure approval processes pass through the Budget Office and the Ministry of Finance, before such are presented to the National Assembly for Appropriation into Law. The National Assembly committees, consisting of all parties and inclinations exercise oversight function on all agencies of the Federal Government to ensure agencies keep to the letters of the Appropriation Act. Thus FIRS’ operations are subjected to Scrutiny and close monitoring by the National Assembly, the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee and the Ministry of Finance.



7. It is therefore unthinkable, malicious and irresponsible for the said Frank to insinuate or infer that N90 billion or any part thereof could be spent illegally and without budgetary approval.



8. It is equally alarming to note that this injurious falsehood and blackmail could find space in our mass media without proper scrutiny particularly with the availability of the Freedom of Information Act, which broadly allows Nigerians access to information on expenditure of public funds by government agencies. This all goes to show an orchestrated and invidious decision by paid agents to discredit the Service in order to achieve their diabolical ends, which is at variance from the interest of Nigerians.



9. We ask members of the public to ignore the claims of Mr. Timi Frank, with the ignominy it deserves as the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC is seeking for cheap popularity and relevance.



10. It is in the light of the foregoing observations, the FIRS demands an unequivocal apology from the said Mr. Timi Frank and a well publicised public apology in three major and leading newspapers within the next 24 hours. The FIRS shall pursue claims for aggravated damages in libel and injurious falsehood against the said Mr. Frank if he fails to meet these conditions in the next 24 hours.



11. This invidious publication is targeted as derailing the revenue generation efforts for the three tiers of government in the nation. This is calculated economic sabotage and hereby referred to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation officially.



12. We finally wish to assure all Nigerians that the FIRS did not spend and could not have spent taxpayers money for political ends. For the avoidance of doubt, every kobo paid by taxpayers goes straight to the Federation Account domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria and that the FIRS does not possess the constitutional right to touch the said account or appropriate any kobo there from to itself.



The FIRS wishes to reassure members of the public that the FIRS is a PUBLIC TRUST, which the agency operates on behalf of Nigerians. Taxpayers money-including the operational funds of the Service- are sacred. FIRS remains committed to public accountability and transparency in the sacred mandate of tax collection and public expenditure.



Signed:

Wahab Gbadamosi
Head Communications & Servicom Department
FIRS

Whatever or whoever that is behind all this God will expose and destroy them one by one.

Timi Frank again! The guy should be thought some lessons

So many spurious allegations with zero proof already show it is fake news and audio money.

Who so ever that is bringing up this fake news your time of distortion is close evil people.

Pls direct this your long grammer to presidential cabals led by Abba Kyari that made the enquiry for FIRS under Fowler's leadership to explain the discrepancies in revenue turnout by the agency under him.

Racoon:
Pls direct this your long grammer to presidential cabals led by Abba Kyari that made the enquiry for FIRS under Fowler's leadership to explain the discrepancies in revenue turnout by the agency under him.

Common to read, you can’t read.

Lies, fake news peddlers....


No proof to back up the claims all in a bit to tarnish the name of the .......

Soon your gag would be implemented

Don't worry we will soon see y'all on EFCC media trial

There was never proof of all these allegations. Without proof, we all know nothing is true.

Clearly, the mischief makers are once again up to no good.
The persistent attempt to ensure that it is they find any sort of dirt whatsoever on VP Osinbajo would come to naught.
Allegations must be backed with proof and with the glaring explanation done by the FIRS, it's clear that the figures are fortuitous.

Lol,before it was 90billion but now 40billion,yeye people, this Timi Frank and his followers will soon enter jail

Enough of this please we are tired of all this them say them say talk without evidence, what evidence do you have to show? You got this wrong Nigerians are becoming wiser everyday try again.

ojokolax:
Clearly, the mischief makers are once again up to no good.
The persistent attempt to ensure that it is they find any sort of dirt whatsoever on VP Osinbajo would come to naught.
Allegations must be backed with proof and with the glaring explanation done by the FIRS, it's clear that the figures are fortuitous.

Laghondi2008:
Enough of this please we are tired of all this them say them say talk without evidence, what evidence do you have to show? You got this wrong Nigerians are becoming wiser everyday try again.

...and others, one and same person.

Point 10, says you would sue Timi Frank if he refused to appologize, what are you waiting for?

All these campaign of calumny geared towards discrediting a reputable man of God who is working tirelessly for the progress of this country will always end up in futility