Tunde Fowler – A much needed elixir

By Joseph Edgar …
Tunde Fowler is a nice man. I can attest to that as I have been the beneficiary of his famed generosity. He is not only generous but an extremely brilliant man. He has been credited with the miraculous Malthusian jump in the internally generated revenues that has today made Lagos state a model to be envied and copied globally.
It is for this reason and more that he has been nominated to head the Federal Internal Revenue Service. This appointment at face value is an appointment that should make all Nigerians jump for joy. But today, the appointment is now a basis for negotiations, politicking and counter politicking in a country where nothing, talk less of merit is held sacred.
I have read that Senators who have an axe to grind with Tinubu are getting ready to scuttle Fowlers chances at the Senate. The fact that we are presently suffering from dwindling oil receipts with its attendant negative impact on government revenue is lost on these shallow minded Senators. All they see is Tinubu and not the work that Mr. Fowler is capable of doing in blocking leakages and shoring up Revenues to counter the huge gap brought about by the twin malaise of maladministration and oil prices.
Tinubu may be forced to negotiate and cut deals with these masquerades if Fowler is to be cleared. This I believe may be Saraki’s last attempt at holding on to the Senate Presidency despite strong opposition from his own party. He may assist the Asiwaju in this onerous task for a bowl of porridge and this may test the Asiwaju’s resolve to protect the party against the need for us to have a miracle worker like Fowler on that seat.
This is why they say politics is very dirty. A candidate like Fowler should never be subjected to these kinds of chicanery. A man who oversaw the quadrupling of Lagos Revenues from a paltry N3b a month to the whopping N20b monthly without a whiff of scandal should not be thrown into a cage of carnivorous lions who have nothing but their stomachs and over bloated egos to think about. He should just be made to work majestically into the chambers and asked to take a bow and commence work immediately. Lower brained mortals have worked into the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly and not even uttering a word are made to take a bow and commence the thievery that has seen us continue to wallow as one of the poorest people in the world despite our huge wealth.
I have decided to take a stance in this matter. I have, despite my political leanings decided to take a position in support of Mr Fowler’s candidacy. It must pass the hurdle of the National Assembly no matter whose ox is gored. This is the best appointment in my mind that this administration has made since it started. This appointment is very critical to the survival of our country. Oil prices today are falling below the $40 mark, about 17 states are nearing insolvency, federal government policies are being threatened, the Naira is taking a beating as a result of the poor earnings of government, what other time apart from now do we need someone of Fowler’s experience and capacity to help shore up our internally generated funds.
I have always had the belief that no Nigerian is indispensable. But in this case, I take an exception, Mr. Fowler is indispensable. He has the moral integrity, the strength of character and much more importantly a deep level of experience with which he could tap on to replicate the Lagos success at the federal level for the betterment of us all.

Read also: Gusau now DG, Budget Office; Fowler, chairman, FIRS

That Tinubu would be using this appointment to hold unto the nation’s purse is a figment of the imagination of the Lilliputians who make up the hallowed halls of our assembly. It is not for a small reason that Fowler served two Lagos State administrations that excelled not only in IGR but in the delivery of the dividends of democracy.
I abhor this horse trading as I see it as inimical to our development at this point. Fowler should be given the chance to work and politics should be kept aside as this is a case of national emergency. Saraki and his ilk should look for another issue to continue their quest for survival and let Fowler as a tested technocrat and professional face the very serious task of working with this administration to deliver for Nigerians.
That is the change we voted for.

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