Buhari fires Fowler, appoints Muhammad as FIRS boss

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent Babatunde Fowler packing as he refused to renew his appointment as the chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) and instead appointed a new person, Muhammad M. Nami, as Fowler’s successor. Fowler’s tenure expired on 9th December, but a statement by the Presidency said he is expected to hand over to the most senior director on the board, who will take charge, pending the senate confirmation of the new board. Muhammad M. Nami’s nomination was conveyed in a letter Buhari sent to the Senate, on the composition of a new board for the revenue agency.

It will be recalled that earlier in the year Fowler was queried for not meeting up with the revenue target of the agency. The query was an indication that the power breakers in the Presidency were not at peace with Fowler.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service board is composed of a member representing each of the six geographical zones and statutory representatives from a select number of ministries and government agencies. Mr Muhammad Nami, according to the statement by Aso Rock, is “a well-trained Tax, Accounting and Management professional with highly rated qualifications and professional practice and licenses from relevant professional bodies”. He has almost three decades of practical working experience in Auditing, Tax Management and Advisory and Management services to clients in the banking, manufacturing, services and public sectors as well as non- profit organisations.

Nami attended Bayero University Kano and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology (1991) and a Masters of Business degree (2004) respectively. He is a fellow of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Institute of Debt Recovery Practitioners of Nigeria and Associate Member of Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) and Association of National Accountants of Nigeria. He started his career with PFK in 1993 and rose to the position of a senior Consultant in charge of Tax management and advisory services. He is currently the managing consultant of Manam Professional Services (Chartered Tax Practitioners and Business Advisers) based in Kaduna, Abuja, Niger State. Mr Muhammad has served, and is still serving, on many companies’ Board and Statutory Board Audit Committees. He was appointed as a member, Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Stolen Assets in November, 2017 by President Buhari. He is married and has children.