Ozekhome says Hameed Ali's appointment is illegal

chika ebuzor

September 17, 2015 5:24 AM

In any event, even if past governments did wrong in bringing in ‘outsiders’ to head Customs, thus demoralising the psyche of career officers.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome in a statement, declared as illegal, President Buhari's appointment of a retired soldier, Hameed Ali, as the boss of the Nigeria Customs Service.

According to Punch Newspapers, he said “The appointment of Hameed Ali has, particularly, raised serious issues of propriety, having been brought in from outside the customs service. By Section 3:11:1 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria official gazette No 24, vol 89, dated March 25, 2002, the choice of the CG of Customs shall be by appointment of a suitable Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs."

Adding that “Some unrepentant apologists have already argued, surprisingly, that a gazette is not a law, and so President Buhari was not obliged to follow the extant gazette in appointing one of the six serving Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs as the CG."

Ozekhome also said “They even argue, tongue in cheek, that he could not find an officer amongst the six DCGs that is incorruptible. Jesus! Why not dissolve the entire Customs then and set up a fresh one?”

“In any event, even if past governments did wrong in bringing in ‘outsiders’ to head Customs, thus demoralising the psyche of career officers, who have spent their lives serving the nation, hoping to rise to the zenith of their careers, why should President Buhari’s government which promised change, repeat same?" he said.

chika ebuzor