By ERICJAMES OCHIGBO/WANDOO SOMBO

The Concerned Northern Elders Forum (CNEF) has disowned and strongly criticised recent statements attributed to the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), describing them as distortions of northern aspirations and misleading Nigerians about FIRS activities.

In a statement on Thursday signed by Mr Nasir Manguno, the elders said they were compelled to address Nigerians in the interest of truth, historical accountability, and responsibility, warning that silence in misrepresentation amounted to complicity.

The CNEF stated that the purported NEF position opposing the FIRS, its Executive Chairman, and President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms did not reflect the collective conscience or progressive expectations of northern elders and citizens.

According to the group, NEF has steadily lost moral authority, degenerating from a council of wisdom into a platform for political grievances and sponsored opposition narratives, undermining its credibility as a representative body.

The elders stressed that true leadership and elder statesmanship must be rooted in integrity, foresight, and national interest, not nostalgia for failed systems or an inherited sense of privilege and entitlement over others.

The CNEF commended the current FIRS Executive Chairman, noting that under his leadership, the agency consistently exceeded revenue targets, strengthened non-oil revenue mobilisation, deployed data-driven strategies, and blocked longstanding leakages across Nigeria’s financial systems.

They added that renewed emphasis on fairness and accountability ensured influence no longer guarantees tax exemptions, with verifiable achievements demonstrating what Nigeria could attain when competence replaced complacency and commitment drove institutional performance.

On President Tinubu’s economic reforms, the elders noted the administration inherited a weakened economy affected by subsidy dependency and selective compliance, praising courage over convenience in implementing difficult but necessary reforms for national recovery.

The elders maintained that revenue reforms were fundamental to nation-building, not punitive measures, insisting no country developed by shielding elites from responsibility or placing governance burdens solely on the poor or marginalised citizens.

They also expressed full support for the FIRS’ Memorandum of Understanding, aiming to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, harmonise data systems, eliminate duplication, and ensure public officials prioritise national interest over elite comfort and personal gain.

The group reaffirmed support for the FIRS Executive Chairman, President Tinubu’s reform agenda, and all public officials committed to national progress, stressing that history favours reformers, not obstructionists resisting accountability or positive change in Nigeria.

“The North is not against reform, but it is against failure,” the statement said, “and it will not be dragged backward by voices sponsored to fear progress or impede development for political or personal interests.” (NAN)