The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has denied allegations that it supported the All Progressives Congress (APC), through Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with the sum of N90 billion for elections.
Responding to reports published by some online platforms and daily newspapers, which had suggested that the Osinbajo had been in trouble following the controversy which had trailed the election funds, the FIRS described the reports as “mendacious, wicked, malicious and a calculated attempt to smear the image of the service and that of Osinbajo.” The alleged media reports had been attributed to the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Frank Timi.
However, in a statement made available to THISDAY, the FIRS said:” this campaign of calumny and vilifying 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”.
It explained that contrary to claims by the report, the agency had not received up to N100 billion per annum as cost of collection from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) since its current Executive Chairman, Mr. Tunde Fowler assumed office in the last four years.
The agency further explained that it was from the remittances from FAAC—which had never grossed up to N100 billion per annum, that FIRS pays the salary and emoluments and trains its over 8,000 staff, runs over 150 offices and provides for other needs of the service.
As a result, it argued that “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 Frank, adding that FIRS does not fund political associations.”
The statement added that it was 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.”
The revenue agency, therefore urged the public to disregard the allegation as it did not reflect the
truth.
