… Backs Tinubu’s Reforms
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Concerned Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has dismissed, strongly criticized, and distanced itself from recent unverified statements credited to the Northern Elders Forum over the activities of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), describing the position as a misrepresentation of the true aspirations of the North pleading support for Tinubu’s tax reforms.
In a press statement issued on
Tuesday, signed by Dr. Nasir Manguno, the group said it was compelled to address Nigerians in the interest of truth, responsibility, and historical accountability, warning that silence in the face of what it described as calculated distortion would amount to complicity.
“The North is not against reform. The North is against failure, and it will not be dragged backward by voices sponsored to fear progress,” the statement said.
The elders maintained
that the so-called position of the NEF against the FIRS, its executive chairman, and the economic reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu neither reflects the collective conscience of Northern elders nor aligns with the progressive expectations of the region.
According to the group, the opposition NEF has lost its moral authority and has gradually transformed from a forum of wisdom into what it described as a platform for political grievances and sponsored opposition narratives.
The elders insisted that leadership and elder statesmanship must be rooted in integrity, foresight, and national interest, not nostalgia for failed systems or entitlement to privilege.
The statement praised the performance of the current Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, noting that under him, the agency has recorded consistent over-performance of revenue targets, strengthened non-oil revenue mobilization, and deployed technology and data-driven strategies to block historic leakages.
It added that the renewed emphasis on fairness and accountability has ensured that influence no longer guarantees exemption from taxation.
The Concerned Northern Elders stressed that these achievements are verifiable and represent what Nigeria can accomplish when competence replaces complacency, arguing that opposition to such reforms is driven by those unsettled by efficiency and transparency.
Meanwhile, the group has praised the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, stating that his administration inherited an economy weakened by subsidy dependency, secrecy, and selective compliance.
CNEF therefore commended the president for choosing courage over convenience by pursuing reforms it described as difficult but necessary for national recovery.
The elders maintained that revenue reform is not punitive but central to nation-building, insisting that no country develops by shielding elites from responsibility or placing the burden of governance solely on the poor.
The group also expressed full support for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into by the FIRS leadership to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, harmonize data systems, and eliminate duplication.
It argued that any policy framework that promotes transparency, strengthens institutions, and enhances revenue efficiency is in the best interest of the North and Nigeria at large.
Addressing what it termed as politics of sabotage, the elders said the recent FIRS criticism coincided with political sabotage by opposition interests seeking to weaponize the North against the reform.
They warned that the region would not allow itself to be used for partisan politics.
The elders further stated that the true priorities of the North include job creation, infrastructure development, education, and accountability, rather than recycled rhetoric and inherited excuses.
“These aspirations require strong institutions, fair taxation and fearless leadership.”
The group concluded by reaffirming its support for the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Dr. Adedeji, President Tinubu’s economic reform ag
