Fowler, Lagos Tax Boss Resigns To Join Governorship Race

Posted by African Examiner News, Politics Monday, March 24th, 2014

Ayo Balogun, Lagos

Mr. Tunde Fowler, Chairman of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, has resigned his appointment to join the growing list of aspirants wanting to take over from Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2015.

Mr. Tunde Fowler

He was said to have submitted his resignation letter to Fashola recently, but that it was turned down, but for the intervention of the All Porgessive Congress (APC) National leader, Bola Tinubu, the governor was pressured to accept the resignation letter.

Fowler will still remain in office till June 1, 2014 when he will formally handover to a new LIRS boss. Mr. T. Jimoh, an Assistant Director would act on his behalf before a substantive new LIRS is appointed.

It was gathered that Fowler resigned after consulting with Tinubu who gave him the go-ahead to vie for the number one seat of Lagos.

His ambition is however, expected to hit the rock as the governorship ticket has been zoned to Lagos East Senatorial District as he is from Lagos Central.

Fowler, who grew up abroad cannot communicate in the Yoruba language and is seeking to govern a Yoruba-speaking state.

Fowler has been the brain behind the growing Internal Generating Revenue, IGR, of Lagos, which now stood at N29 billion monthly. He was appointed the Chairman, LIRS by the former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and has been pivotal in revenue generation for the state.

Fowler was born to the family of Professor and Mrs. W.V. Fowler both of Lagos State. He studied in the United States of America at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, where he obtained his first bachelors’ degree with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a minor in Political Science in 1978.

He completed a second bachelors’ degree programme at the California State University, Los Angeles and also a Master of Business Administration degree programme at the California State University, Dominguez Hills in 1981.

In 2004, Fowler joined the Lagos State Government and was appointed the pioneer Permanent Secretary/ Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue on the 24 November 2005, thereby upgrading the office of the Executive Chairman to the highest level in the Civil Service.

Fowler has now joined the growing lists of contenders for Fashola’s position. Other aspiring for the position are the Lagos Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Hamzat; Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Aderemi Ikuforiji; former Commissioner for Education and Health, Dr. Leke Pitan; House of Representatives member, Femi Gbajabiamila; Senator Ganiu Olanrewaju Solomon, GOS, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Lagos Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello; Lagos Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal; former Lagos Commissioner for the Environment and Transportation, Dr. Muiz Banire; former Accountant General of Lagos State and Akin Ambode. Unconfirmed sources said former Lagos Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Lagos Commissioner or Finance, Ayo Gbeleyi and the Lagos Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa.