Concerned Northern Elders Reject NEF Claims, Backs Tinubu’s Economic Reforms

The Concerned Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has disowned and sharply criticised recent statements credited to the Northern Elders Forum over the activities of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.

In a statement in Abuja, signed by Dr Nasir Manguno, the group described the position as a misrepresentation of the true aspirations of the North.

According to the statement, the group says it is compelled to address Nigerians in the interest of truth, responsibility and historical accountability, warning that silence in the face of what it describes as calculated distortion amounts to complicity.

The elders state 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.

The group says 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, noting that under his leadership, the agency has recorded consistent over-performance of revenue targets, strengthened non-oil revenue mobilisation and deployed technology and data-driven strategies to block historic leakages.

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.

On the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, the group said the administration inherited an economy weakened by subsidy dependency, secrecy and selective compliance and commended the President for choosing courage over convenience by pursuing reforms it described as difficult but necessary for national recovery.

The group also expressed full support for the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the FIRS leadership to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, harmonise data systems and eliminate duplication arguing 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 the politics of sabotage, the elders said the renewed criticism of FIRS coincided with political recalibration by opposition interests seeking to weaponise the North against reforms. They warned that the region would not allow itself to be used for partisan objectives.

The statement emphasised that the true priorities of the North include job creation, infrastructure development, education and accountability, rather than recycled rhetoric and inherited excuses.

According to the elders, these aspirations require strong institutions, fair taxation and fearless leadership.

The group reaffirmed its support for the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda and public servants committed to national interest over elite comfort, stressing that history favours reformers and not obstructionists.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji