- The clerk of the Senate Nelson Ayewoh has received an instruction to write the attorney general of the federation Abubakar Malami on the move by customs boss to defer Senate summons
- The instructions followed Hameed Ali's efforts to obtain a court order deferring his summons by the Senate
- The clerk was instructed to write Malami to formally reject Ali's claim that he cannot be compelled to appear before the Senate in his uniform
The Senate clerk was instructed to write Malami to formally reject Ali's claim that he cannot be compelled to appear before the Senate in his uniform.
The clerk of the Senate Nelson Ayewoh has received an instruction to write the attorney general of the federation Abubakar Malami on the move by the comptroller general of Nigeria Customs Service to defer Senate summons.
Vanguard reports that the instructions followed Hameed Ali's efforts to obtain a court order deferring his summons by the Senate.
Ayewoh was instructed to write Malami to formally reject Ali's claim that he cannot be compelled to appear before the Senate in his uniform.
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NAIJ.com gathered that the Senate's decision to reject Malami's plea on behalf of the customs boss was on claims that it would set negative consequences that would expose the Senate to injunctions which might deter its functionality.
Recall that Malami had in a letter asked the Senate to defer further actions against Ali pending court's decision on the matter.
The AGF said: "I wish to formally intimate you that I am in receipt of a letter dated March 20, 2017, wherein I have been served with an originating summons in respect of the above subject matter (copy attached).
"In line with the principles of rule of law, Court decisions or most importantly, the declarations sought have been deeply rooted in the constitutional provisions; I hold the view that this matter is sub-judice."
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But affirming Malami's calim that the senate must stay further action on the matter, a source said the Senate President has asked the clerk to write a letter to Malami.
The source said: "If the Senate honours the letter written to the Senate by the Presidency, it would serve as a bad precedence in the country where anyone could wake up tomorrow and drag the Senate to court anytime things do not go his or her way."
The source added that the Senate through its letter will make Malami understand that no arm of government can be stopped from performing its constitutional duty.
“For instance, a case has not been allotted to any judge or a restraining order, therefore, does it mean that anyone can just file a case and the Attorney- General can say that the Senate should stop it?” the source asked.
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