Senate declares customs’ CG Ali ineligible for public office

The face-off between the Senate and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) took a turn for the worse yesterday.

The Senate has been in a running battle with Ali over a controversial vehicles duty policy which he was later forced to suspend.

Following the initial reluctance of the customs’ boss to honour its invitation, the Senate threatened to issue an arrest warrant to compel him to appear before it to answer questions on the policy. When Ali eventually appeared at the Senate last week, the upper chamber walked him out for improper dressing. He did not wear the NCS uniform. He was ordered to re- appear with his uniform yesterday.

But at yesterday’s sitting, the CG could not be found. Instead, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, wrote a letter urging the lawmakers to stay action on the matter, claiming that it was already before a court of law.

But the Senate resolved to disregard the letter which it described as an attempt to stop it from performing its constitutional duties.

 The lawmakers unanimously declared him unfit to hold any public office. They, therefore, asked him to resign immediately.