- Wants Adedeji to Step Aside
The Arewa Consultative Youth Movement (AYM) has added its voice to a growing wave of national agitation demanding a sweeping forensic investigation into the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund (RHIDF), and the conduct of FIRS Chairman, Zacch Adedeji.
In a statement on Saturday, the group said the mounting allegations surrounding the opaque handling of taxpayers’ funds have plunged public confidence to troubling lows.
The group insisted that the situation has become too weighty for the government to ignore.
AYM President Kabiru Yusuf said the movement is aligning with civil society organisations, lawmakers, and advocacy coalitions that have, for weeks, questioned financial decisions on disbursement of critical revenue streams.
According to Yusuf, while the allegations remain unproven, their seriousness demands an immediate and comprehensive forensic audit by relevant anti-graft agencies and oversight institutions. He stressed that accountability must never be selective, particularly in an agency central to the nation’s fiscal stability.
“The issues raised are not ordinary. They touch directly on transparency, public trust, and the integrity of our national revenue system,” Yusuf said. “For an investigation to be credible and free of contamination, the FIRS chairman must step aside temporarily. This is not an assumption of guilt—it is the standard expected in every democracy that values accountability.”
The group warned that continued silence or reluctance on the part of authorities to act could deepen public suspicion and weaken the government’s anti-corruption posture. To this end, the AYM announced its intention to join the December 15 national action being planned by other pro-accountability groups.
Yusuf added that after further consultations, the Arewa Youth Movement would not hesitate to issue a formal vote of no confidence if the government fails to initiate decisive steps toward a forensic review of FIRS and the RHIDF operations.
“We cannot afford institutions that appear shielded from scrutiny. Nigeria deserves leaders who reinforce public trust, not those whose actions raise fundamental questions,” the statement noted.
The AYM reiterated its commitment to transparency and national interest, saying the North and the entire country stand to gain when public institutions operate above suspicion.
