FIRS Boss, Fowler knows Fate Friday Over Continued Stay In Office

The embattlef chsirman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will know his fate whether he would vontinue in office as Kano High Court has reserved ruling on whether it has jurisdiction to entertain a civil suit brought before it.

The presiding judge of the court, Justice Lewis Allagoa would similarly deliver a judgement on whether the Plaintiff, Stanley Okwara a Nigerian lawyer who instituted the matter has a local standi.

Okwara, in a suit filed on September 18, 2019 also joined the Attorney General of the Federation as the second defendant.

In the originating summon, the two defendants were given 30 days to explain why Fowler, who was appointed on the 20th August, 2015, has not ceased to hold office as the Chairman of FIRS after the 20th of August, 2019 in accordance with the “decision of the Supreme Court and the combined provisions of Sections 3(2) (a), Section 4(a) and Section 11 (a)” of the agency.

At a resume hearing on Tuesday, Counsel to Mr Fowler, Paul Erokoro SAN had argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction and competence to entertain the case.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria further posited that the Nigerian lawyer who instituted the case under the eyes of the law lacked local standi.