FIRS Finally Speaks On How Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Was Funded

The Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, has once again nullified to claims by former spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, that it supported the party’s political campaign with the sum of ₦40bn.

Naija News recalls that the party spokesman had earlier accused FIRS of supporting APC campaigns with the sum of ₦40bn and ₦90bn at different periods through Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

It, however, described Frank’s allegation as “wicked, malicious and a calculated attempt” to smear its image and that of the Vice President.

In a statement signed by Head, Communications and Servicom Department, Wahab Gbadamosi, FIRS insisted that Frank’s allegation was a campaign of “calumny, vilifying, libellous, unfounded in fact, irresponsible and a brazen assault on the integrity of the Service.”

The FIRS in defence of itself said the last four years since Mr. Tunde Fowler has supervised operations at the FIRS, the agency had not received up to ₦100 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.

“That it is from the remittances from FAAC—which had never grossed up to ₦100 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“.

FIRS maintains that it couldn’t commit all its resources to a phantom campaign of ₦90 billion as suggested by Mr. Timi Frank given that it barely has enough for its operations.

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