The Southwest Unity Forum has issued a strong warning against what it describes as a reckless and coordinated political witch-hunt targeting the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji.
The Forum stated that the calls for his removal are not only unfounded, but are also driven by individuals threatened by the success of ongoing reforms and desperate to derail Nigeria’s progress for selfish political gain.
According to the Forum, the recent media noise and concocted allegations being circulated are a classic smear tactic — devoid of facts, lacking credibility, and engineered to intimidate a performing public servant into silence.
“It is shameful that individuals who have benefited from Nigeria’s dysfunction are now masquerading as champions of accountability simply because their interests are no longer served,” the statement declared.
The Forum stressed that under Dr. Adedeji’s leadership, FIRS has embarked on bold reforms, strategic enforcement, and aggressive modernization that have already begun to reduce leakages, block revenue wastage, and expand the country’s non-oil tax base. These reforms, it noted, are precisely what certain powerful actors fear, as they threaten entrenched interests.
“The sudden desperation to remove the FIRS Chairman at a time when reforms are gaining traction is not a coincidence — it is sabotage, pure and simple. It is an attempt to drag Nigeria backwards so a few can continue to feed fat on a broken system,” the Forum said.
The group also reminded the public that some civil society organizations that previously peddled false accusations against Dr. Adedeji later recanted and publicly apologized, admitting that their claims were baseless. It insisted that the ongoing agitation follows the same script: manufacture scandal, spread misinformation, damage credibility, and cripple leadership.
Youth groups and civic organizations have similarly dismissed the campaign as a futile blackmail strategy, describing those behind it as “faceless opportunists threatened by competent leadership.”
The Forum emphasized that Nigerians must not tolerate attempts to destabilize crucial national institutions through propaganda, political intimidation or media manipulation.
“National development is not achieved by replacing reformers with puppets. Nigeria needs technocrats who can deliver results, not politicians who specialize in noise-making and blackmail,” it stated.
The group called on the Federal Government to remain unwavering, insisting that accountability must be based on verified evidence — not fabricated petitions, sponsored protests, or media hysteria orchestrated by power brokers.
It noted that any attempt to forcefully remove the FIRS Chairman now would amount to economic sabotage, undermine investor confidence, and send a dangerous message that Nigeria punishes performance and rewards conspiracy.
“The attackers of Dr. Zacch Adedeji are not fighting for the nation; they are fighting for their pockets. Nigeria cannot afford to bend to the whims of those who profit when the system collapses,” the statement added.
The Southwest Unity Forum reaffirmed its total confidence in Dr. Adedeji, describing him as a courageous reformist whose loyalty is to Nigeria, not to cabals or political godfathers.
“We stand firm. We will not allow a handful of desperate power merchants to destabilize our institutions or derail national progress. Nigeria deserves better — and we will defend those who work for the nation, not themselves,” it concluded.
