'Resign now, you're unfit to hold public office,' Senate tells Customs boss

The Senate has called for the resignation of Hameed Ali as the comptroller general of Customs.

The Senate also resolved on Wednesday, March 22, 2016, that the comptroller general of Customs was unfit to hold any public office in Nigeria.

The Senate had ordered Ali to appear before it in his appropriate uniform over the plan to impound vehicles without import duty.

After several refusals, Ali appeared at the National Assembly in marching White kaftan and a cap. He also told the Senate that no law compels him to wear the Customs uniform.

He was walked out of the Senate and asked to appear in uniform on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.

The Customs boss said he would not appear at plenary as the matter was in court.

Reacting to the letter addressed to the Senate by the attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami, Senator Dino Melaye described Ali as unfit for the Customs job.

Melaye noted that Malami’s letter was an insult on the institution of the National Assembly particularly, the Senate.

He said the attorney general of the federal lacks the power to direct the Senate on its activities.

“Hameed Ali is not even fit to be the comptroller general of Customs," Melaye said.

“The position of the comptroller general of Customs is a rank. By extension, anyone occupying that position is a Public servant.

“According to Section 8 of the Public Service Rule 2004, the compulsory retirement age of everyone in the Service including Customs shall be 60 years of 35 years of service, whichever is earlier.

“I put it to you that Hameed Ali is far above 60 years old.

President Muhammadu Buhari told Nigerians that one of the fundamental objectives of his government shall be respect for rule of law. Now, there is a test. The president has the choice to choose between the rule of law or Hameed Ali. We will see what will happen.

The president might so wish to appoint Hameed Ali as Sole Administrator of Customs if he requires his service,” he added.

Other lawmakers decried the ‘interference’ of the attorney general in a matter being considered by the Senate.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe questioned the understanding of Malami on the laws of Nigeria.

"By the attorney general writing to the Senate, it shows an abysmal lack of understanding of what our democracy is aabout.

"We expect that if there’s a challenge to the Senate or executive, the best person to go to is the attorney general of the federation. Now, we have an attorney general that doesn’t even understand the law.

"What do we do in this circumstance? I leave it to those who appointed him to bail us out of this situation,” he added.

The Senate also called on the Customs to cancel the policy which led to Ali's summon.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it would intervene in the face-off between the Senate and Hameed Ali.