The Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, has come under criticism from Nigerians following comments he made while defending the cost of governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Adedeji made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he was asked about concerns over the lifestyle of government officials and the cost associated with running the administration.
Responding to questions about the number of luxury vehicles reportedly attached to the President’s convoy, the NRS chairman questioned the significance of the cost of such vehicles and maintained that Tinubu does not live extravagantly.
“Mr President goes from home to office on foot, not even driving except when he is going to the airport. I don’t know where you see the convoy.
“Before he became president, what is he riding?
“How much is an Escalade that the president of Nigeria cannot afford? Please don’t embarrass this country,” Adedeji said.
He also claimed that Tinubu had not travelled outside Nigeria in the preceding three months, describing the President as someone who spends his time working rather than engaging in an extravagant lifestyle.
“What is living large? In the last months, he has not even left the shores of this country, trekking and working. If you go there now, you will see him review one document or the other,” he said.
The NRS chairman further claimed that the President eats only once a day and rarely attends social events.
“So what is living large? The president eats once in a day. How many parties have you seen him at in the last three years? Tell me where you have seen him, whether on holiday or anywhere?” he asked.
The comments have triggered criticism on social media, with several Nigerians questioning the relevance of the claims to broader concerns about the cost of governance and the economic challenges facing citizens.
An X user, Israel Denson, criticised the statement, saying, “These guys are playing on our intelligence way too much and all I say to them is ‘continue pushing Nigerians until they wake up’, and the day they do? ‘No one table will be left on-turned’.”
Another user, Raul, wrote, “It’s like saying I used to bath naked. Only criminals that are heartless reason this way.”
Theta, another X user, described the statement as “dumb”, adding, “and he is supposed to be NRS chairman”.
The backlash comes amid continued concerns over the rising cost of living in Nigeria under the Tinubu administration. Headline inflation currently stands at 15.91 per cent, while food inflation is reported at 17.52 per cent, against a minimum wage of N70,000.
The comments have therefore renewed debate over government spending, the lifestyle of public officials and the gap between the experiences of those in government and ordinary Nigerians.
