Lawyer and Arise News analyst, Frank Tietie, has criticised the inclusion of Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Chairman, Zach Adelabu Adedeji, in the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council, describing the decision as “the height of indiscretion.”
Tietie, who spoke on ARISE NEWS on Monday, questioned the propriety of involving the country’s top tax official in partisan campaign activities, arguing that the move blurs the line between government responsibilities and party politics.
“It was the height of indiscretion, indeed. Why would anybody lose a sense of discretion and propriety to that extent of making the taxman—the man who brings in revenue for Nigeria—to now be in charge of bringing revenue for the APC?” he asked.
The analyst said the decision could create the impression that government officials responsible for managing public resources were being drawn into efforts to finance the president’s re-election campaign.
He attributed the development to what he described as “desperation to win” and “desperation to please the president,” alongside what he called a failure to distinguish between governance and partisan politics.
“Yes, it’s an election year, but the president should not lose sight that he is the president of the entire Nigeria, not just of political parties,” Tietie said.
He further argued that the involvement of the NRS chairman could undermine public confidence in the independence of the revenue service and create concerns about the use of government officials and institutions for political purposes.
“The impression is very wrong and antithetical to the principles of democracy, governance, and separation of powers,” he said.
Tietie also criticised the frequent changes and controversies surrounding government and party decisions, describing the situation as “discordance” within the administration.
“I think it’s just discordance, the craze, and the rat race among the operators of the administration in pursuit of opportunities,” he said.
According to him, governance risks becoming “opportunistic” when competing interests within an administration begin to influence decisions made in the name of the president.
He said the controversy over the APC campaign council was another indication of the need for clearer boundaries between government responsibilities and political activities.
On the inclusion of Adedeji specifically, Tietie said the NRS chairman should maintain a degree of independence and discretion because of the sensitive nature of his office.
“In fact, the taxman ought to exercise some measure of independence, be discreet, and not be allowed to be involved in politics,” he said.
He also questioned whether the involvement of a senior revenue official in the campaign could fuel perceptions of corruption or improper use of public resources.
Tietie further commented on former lawmaker Dino Melaye’s decision to challenge the appointment in court, saying legal action may not be necessary if public criticism could compel the government to reverse the decision.
“Dino Melaye shouldn’t waste his time going to court. Sometimes, that’s the beauty of criticism: when you point out something that is wrong, people should make a U-turn,” he said.
The analyst also raised questions about the role of presidential advisers, arguing that officials around President Bola Tinubu should shield him from decisions capable of generating unnecessary political controversy.
He said repeated controversies over actions taken in the president’s name could point to weaknesses in the advisory structure around the presidency.
“As an analyst, I try to go behind the curtain and see what could have actually been the issue. Is it a result of advisers who are not doing their job, who are embroiled in politics of self-interest to the extent that they forget to protect the president?” he asked.
Tietie maintained that while the president should be held accountable for decisions taken by his administration, advisers and other officials should also be scrutinised where their actions contribute to politically damaging controversies.
“We have to be careful. While we criticize him, we must also point out these lapses. You cannot take the taxman to raise funds for your campaign,” he said.
