The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Hamid Ali has explained that he will not be able to appear before the Senate.
It was explained that a legal practitioner has asked the Federal High Court Abuja to restrain the National Assembly from compelling the Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd.) to wear uniform in the performance of his duties.
Ali told State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, that his position was informed by the fact that the case is in court.
He said that since the matter was already in court, it would amount to contempt of court for him to appear before the upper chamber of the National Assembly as it had demanded.
“The case is in court already. Somebody has sued us. I have gotten my writ of summons and they said status quo ante should remain; which means nothing should be done until the court makes a pronouncement.
“A private individual sued all of us; he wants an interpretation of the section that is in contention.
“I don’t want to talk so that I am not held in contempt of court,’’Ali said.
The suit, filed filed this week, named Ali, the NCS, the National Assembly, the Senate and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as first to fifth defendants.
The plaintiff, Mohammed Ibrahim is seeking for a court declaration that Ali’s appointment as Customs boss cannot be subject to the provisions of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) or any other law.
The plaintiff is also asking for an order of perpetual injunction restraining both the NASS and the Senate from compelling Ali to wear uniform in the performance of his duties.
[…] The Customs boss told reporters on Tuesday that his decision not to appear was based on legal advice… […]
Mandy Patinkin? Aleksandr Pushkin? WTF? Today was a heavy spray day – lots of nano metallic particulates – so I made sure to take my doses of chlorella and cilantro. No time to engage in the shit-giving sarcasm of the Jews ala the Sterns, Silvermans, Seinfelds, Schwimmers, Sandbergs, Steinbergs, Shatners, Shandlings, Sambergs, Stewarts, Pandora Pushkin.