Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government over the appointment of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited as a new collecting agent under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) managed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
In a statement issued Friday on X, Atiku described the move as a troubling attempt to revive what he called the Alpha Beta-style revenue model, alleging it creates monopolies that channel public funds into private pockets. He said the decision mirrors the controversial revenue practices associated with Lagos during President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as governor.
Atiku accused the government of making the appointment “quietly,” without legislative scrutiny or stakeholder input, and questioned the urgency behind the move. He demanded clarity on the value Xpress Payments would bring to the TSA system, warning that the lack of transparency casts doubt on whose interests the engagement serves.
The former vice president argued that introducing private intermediaries into government revenue collection undermines accountability and risks “state capture masquerading as digital innovation.” He noted that the announcement came at a time when the country is reeling from heightened insecurity, insisting that governance should prioritise public safety and empathy, not what he termed “expanding private revenue pipelines.”
Atiku called for the immediate suspension of the appointment and demanded a full public inquiry, including disclosure of contract terms, beneficiaries, fee structures and selection criteria. He also pushed for an audit of TSA operations and the creation of laws barring the use of private agents in core revenue functions.
He warned that economic governance conducted “in the shadows” threatens national stability, urging the Federal Government to embrace transparency and shun what he described as “Lagos-style revenue cartelisation.”
