The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Hameed Ali has snubbed the invitation of the Nigerian Senate to appear before it with the arrogance of a former military man.
Mr. Ali has written the Senate, telling the lawmakers he will not appear before them on Wednesday as summoned.
The Senate Clerk read Mr. Ali’s letter on Tuesday.
The Customs boss was summoned last Thursday over the planned clampdown on vehicles without duty payment. The Senate also resolved that Mr. Ali must appear in appropriate Customs uniform, which he has refused to wear publicly since his appointment as Comptroller-General.
In his letter, he said he had to attend an NCS meeting.
However, the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan finds his excuse ridiculous.
Political watchers feel that Ali cannot snub the invitation of the Senate without the backing of the presidency.
Ali’s excuse is in fact a slap on Nigerian democracy – to be invited by the Senate and he tells the upper house that a mere NCS meeting takes precedence.
CHECKPOINTCHARLEY expects President Muhammadu Buhari to caution his appointee and pinch him out of his military hallucination. He needs to be lectured on how a democracy functions and the role of the legislative arm as watchdog.
I will also enjoin the Senate to order his arrest should he fail to honour its invitation.
Ali is a retired colonel of the Nigerian Army.
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