By Gloria Ikibah
A group operating under the auspices of the Concerned Northern Elders has distanced itself from recent remarks attributed to the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), describing the comments as misleading and out of step with the region’s broader interests.
In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by Dr Nasir Manguno, the elders said they felt duty-bound to speak out in the interest of truth and accountability. Remaining silent, they warned, would amount to endorsing what they described as a deliberate distortion of facts. 
The group made it clear that the purported stance of the NEF against the FIRS, its Executive Chairman and the economic reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not reflect the shared values or aspirations of Northern elders. Nor, they argued, does it align with the expectations of a region seeking progress rather than political grandstanding.
According to the statement, the NEF has steadily lost its moral standing, drifting away from its original role as a voice of wisdom into what the elders characterised as a platform for political resentment and externally driven opposition. True elder statesmanship, they said, should be anchored in integrity, vision and a commitment to the national good, not a longing for discredited systems or an assumed right to special treatment.
The group went on to commend the current leadership of the FIRS, pointing to what it described as a strong record of performance. Under the present Executive Chairman, the agency has reportedly exceeded revenue targets, expanded non-oil revenue collection and introduced technology-based, data-led measures to close long-standing loopholes. The renewed focus on transparency and fairness, the elders added, has ensured that influence and status no longer shield individuals or organisations from meeting their tax obligations.
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. It 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 entered into by the FIRS leadership to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, harmonise 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 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 reform. 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 concluded by reaffirming 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.
“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.
