WAR IN APC CAMP as Party Chieftain Says Fowler's Assumption of FIRS Office is Illegal *Advises him to vacate office

 WAR IN APC CAMP as Party Chieftain Says Fowler's Assumption of FIRS Office is Illegal

*Advises him to vacate office

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Timi Frank, today described the takeover of operational duties of Dr. William Babatunde Fowler as the Executive Chairman of the Board of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as illegal.

Frank, therefore, asked the new FIRS boss to toe the path of honour and step down now or be prepared to face legal action.

In a statement he issued in Abujat oday, the APC Deputy Spokesman called on the National Assembly to do their job and invoke the relevant sections of the constitution to deal with the ‘illegality’ otherwise, “it may be accused of acting as rubber stamp should it clear Fowler in the face of this gross violation of the constitution.”

He said by assuming office without a corresponding consent and assent of the Senate, Fowler has portrayed himself as either ignorant of the law or acting with impunity.
"Let us look at the FIRS Act before one is accused of crying wolf where there is none. Section 3(2a) of the FIRS Establishment Act, 2007, states that: ‘The Executive Chairman of the Service is to be appointed by the President and subject to the confirmation of the Senate’.  
"Where does Fowler derive his authority with which he now presides over the Board of the FIRS? He has since assumed office and carrying out the duties of the office. Do we let him go in view of the present financial quagmire in the country? I don't think we should be swayed by arguments that we have gotten a czar to address our financial wounds," he said.

Frank argued that with Fowler firmly in office, "the Senate would only be acting as rubber stamp should it clear Fowler in the face of this gross violation of the constitution.
The APC chieftain argued further that all those who have similarly assumed office without getting Senate assent would have disqualified themselves. 
"The Senate would also be setting a bad precedent should it decide to overlook Fowler's infractions and clear him still. It is wrong for an appointee, who is supposed to be confirmed by the Senate before appointment to assume office and then come for confirmation. In such situation, the man is already enjoying the pecks of office and the confirmation is being made to look like a fiat accompli." 
"What we are seeing concerning these appointments amount to an offence and gross breach of the constitution. I am aware that senators are peeved by this conduct and there is the thinking that some of them who have assumed office might have disqualified themselves. The lawmakers consider the development as an abuse of their respect for President Muhammadu Buhari and that the act is undermining the Senate.

“They will also be asked what legal grounds they relied on to assume duty when the Senate was yet to confirm them," he stated.

Frank therefore called on the FIRS boss to step aside and allow himself to be screened and confirmed by the Senate as stipulated by law, adding that should he fail to do this, he will be compelled to seek judicial remedy against “this rape on our democracy and extant laws.”

He said: "The dream of every Nigerian, moving forward under the present administration of President Buhari, is to have a government and country where the rule of law is supreme. Buhari has done well by searching out Fowler-a tax administrator of repute-to oversee the activities of the Board of the FIRS.
"However, I don't think the refusal to wait for confirmation by Fowler can be blamed on Buhari. The onus lies on Fowler to retrace his steps now as he cannot claim not to know that his assumption of office on August 25, 2015, is in breach of the law. We cannot afford to break the laws at will only to administer the laws on citizens who may be in breach of the law in relation to taxes."