The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has demanded the immediate resignation of the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, from office if he intends to participate in the 2027 presidential campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The demand follows the inclusion of Dr. Adedeji in the APC’s 2027 Presidential Campaign Council as Deputy Director of Fundraising, a position that places a serving head of Nigeria’s principal revenue institution directly within the political machinery of the re-election campaign of the incumbent President.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the organization, Comrade James Ezema said the CNPP is aware of reports suggesting that the campaign council list was subsequently withdrawn for review.
However, the APC has now publicly denied withdrawing the list, with its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, describing the reports as rumours and stating that any alteration would be formally announced.
Accordingly, the CNPP will not proceed on the basis of an unconfirmed withdrawal.
But our position goes further:
Even if the APC withdraws, amends or replaces the list tomorrow, the fundamental conflict of interest surrounding the NRS Chairman’s reported political involvement does not disappear merely because his name is removed from a document.
The central issue is not the piece of paper.
THE ISSUE IS NOT HIS RIGHT TO BELONG TO A POLITICAL PARTY
We recognise that Section 40 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to freely associate and belong to a political party.
The CNPP is therefore not asking Dr. Adedeji to surrender his constitutional citizenship rights.
He has the right to support the APC. He has the right to belong to the APC.
He has the right to pursue a political career.
But the exercise of those rights does not give a serving public officer a licence to place himself in a position where his political interests conflict, or reasonably appear to conflict, with the duties of his public office.
That distinction is fundamental. A citizen may be partisan. A public institution must be impartial. And the head of a national revenue institution must be held to the highest standard of institutional neutrality.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST RULE
The Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution contains an unequivocal principle: a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interests conflict with his duties and responsibilities.
This is precisely where the Adedeji controversy becomes more than a political argument.
The NRS Chairman occupies an office carrying enormous responsibility over Nigeria’s revenue administration.
The APC campaign council, on the other hand, is a partisan political structure established to secure the re-election of the incumbent President.
And according to the published council structure, Adedeji was not merely listed as an ordinary supporter. He was designated Deputy Director of Fundraising, serving under the Director of Fundraising. Fundraising for a presidential campaign is quintessentially partisan political activity.
Therefore, the CNPP asks:
How can the same individual be entrusted with the impartial administration of Nigeria’s revenue system while simultaneously being positioned to mobilise financial resources for the political campaign of the government under which he serves?
That is the conflict. It does not require proof that a single naira of public money has been diverted.
Conflict of interest is not synonymous with corruption. The law and principles of public ethics are designed to prevent compromising situations from arising in the first place.
THE NRS CHAIRMAN OCCUPIES A PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE OFFICE
The Nigeria Revenue Service is not an ordinary government department.
It is the institution responsible for administering Nigeria’s federal tax and revenue system.
The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025 provides the statutory framework for the Service and vests its leadership with significant responsibilities for the administration and management of the institution.
Because of that responsibility, Nigerians must have absolute confidence that tax administration is being conducted impartially and professionally, without political retaliation, favouritism or partisan considerations.
The moment the head of such an institution becomes publicly associated with the fundraising machinery of a presidential campaign, the appearance of institutional neutrality is compromised.
And in public administration, perception matters because public confidence is itself an essential component of institutional legitimacy.
A taxpayer who supports the opposition must be able to look at the NRS Chairman and see the chairman of Nigeria’s revenue service — not an APC campaign fundraiser.
That is the standard required.
THE PUBLIC SERVICE RULES ARE ALSO RELEVANT
The Federal Government Public Service Rules contain specific provisions regulating partisan political activity by public officers.
Rule 030422 restricts officers from holding positions in political organisations and engaging in specified forms of partisan political activity without the requisite government permission, while Rule 030423 addresses resignation in connection with partisan political activity and elective political office.
The CNPP therefore calls on the Presidency, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the appropriate ethics authorities to publicly clarify:
Was Dr. Adedeji granted any lawful approval, waiver or exemption to participate in the APC Presidential Campaign Council while remaining NRS Chairman?
If there was no such approval, the authorities must explain why the applicable Public Service Rules do not apply to him.
If there was an approval, the legal basis for that approval must be made public.
Nigeria cannot operate a public service in which rules apply selectively depending on the political importance of the individual concerned.
WITHDRAWAL OF HIS NAME CANNOT ERASE THE POLITICAL QUESTION
The CNPP also wishes to make its position absolutely clear on the reported withdrawal controversy.
If the APC eventually withdraws Dr. Adedeji’s name from its campaign council, we will welcome that as an appropriate first step.
Removing a name from a list does not remove an existing conflict of interest.
Nor does it automatically restore public confidence.
The only credible way to remove that cloud, if Dr. Adedeji intends to continue actively participating in partisan politics, is for him to relinquish the public office.
RESIGNATION IS NOT PUNISHMENT
The CNPP emphasises that demanding Dr. Adedeji’s resignation is not a declaration that he has committed a criminal offence.
Resignation is not punishment. It is the ethical remedy available to a public officer who wishes to pursue a political path that is incompatible with the confidence and neutrality expected of his public office.
If Dr. Adedeji’s political ambition is to become more active in the APC and participate in President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, he should be free to do so.
But he should first leave the NRS.
That is how responsible democracies protect both the individual’s political freedom and the integrity of public institutions.
PRESIDENT TINUBU MUST PROTECT THE INSTITUTION, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL
The CNPP therefore calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate that his administration places institutional integrity above partisan advantage.
The President should immediately clarify the status of Dr. Adedeji’s participation in the campaign council and direct the appropriate authorities to establish whether his involvement complies with the Constitution, the NRS Establishment Act, the Public Service Rules and applicable public-service ethics requirements.
The issue should not be dismissed as opposition politics.
OUR DEMANDS
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties therefore demands:
1. That Dr. Zacch Adedeji immediately resign as NRS Executive Chairman if he intends to participate actively in the APC’s 2027 presidential campaign.
2. That if he chooses to remain NRS Chairman, he must completely withdraw from the APC Presidential Campaign Council and all partisan campaign fundraising or mobilisation activities.
3. That the Presidency publicly disclose whether any waiver, approval or exemption was granted to permit the serving NRS Chairman to undertake partisan campaign activities.
4. That the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and relevant ethics authorities clarify the applicability of the Public Service Rules to the NRS Chairman’s reported political role.
5. That the Code of Conduct Bureau examine the circumstances surrounding the reported appointment in light of the constitutional prohibition against placing personal interests in conflict with official duties.
6. That the NRS publicly reaffirm its institutional neutrality and assure Nigerians that no taxpayer, business, company or political opponent will suffer discriminatory treatment because of political affiliation.
