DSS, Magu, Ali, Senate and overzealous Nigerians

AbdulRahman Agboola

Sometime last year, I authored a poem titled “One Expanded Cliché”. I was motivated by certain occurrences that denied the masses their desire for a new lease of life under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. And obviously today, I find the appropriateness of the poem to the ugly situations in our polity that don’t only distract us from our priorities but give the Presidency opportunities for a shift of blame on its failing anti-corruption crusade.

As long as no one has monopoly of knowledge, every individual must be guided by the dictates of law and law interpretations often require customs, traditions and conventions when certain peculiarities come to the front burner as in the cases of DSS, Magu, Hameed Ali, Senate and overzealous Nigerians. Separation of power exists for the purpose of abating recklessness among key officers of the arms of government but to what degree has this operated antithetically and to whose advantage.

Ordinarily, the Senate should serve as the conscience among the arms of government but does the operational strategies and dispositions of members of the red chamber conform with good conscience at all fronts and on all occasions? The answers are obvious in the sentimental approval of some ministerial nominees in the 8th Senate.

Key events portray senators as racketeers as reflected in the approval of the Bill to establish Nigeria Peace Corp simply because of the avalanche of opportunity for them to secure job for their wards.
On Magu’s rejection by the Senate relying on DSS report, it is important to note that security clearance ought to have been received by Mr President before forwarding Magu’s name for confirmation before the Senate and the failure to confirm him after an earlier rejection bring two hypothesis to the fore.

The first hypothesis tilt towards the notion that President Buhari strongly believes that the so-called report against Magu is not credible enough to disqualify him as EFCC chairman while the second hypothesis tilt towards the notion that Magu as the head of the team that investigated key members in the present Senate during Ribadu era indicted notable members of the Senate presently under prosecution or awaiting prosecution should not be confirmed as his confirmation is capable of ruining political future of certain interest group in the Senate.

Head or tail, Magu is not indispensable and should be replaced by Mr President if need be but the point has been made by Mr President that the Senate constitutes serious impediment to the anti-corruption crusade as the supreme laws in the land requires either conviction by the court of law or indictment by panel of inquiry as basis for denying anyone public office. If Magu’s offence was so grievous, why was he reinstated to the service?
A day after the Senate tactically insulted the sensibility of Buhari on his recommendation of Magu for confirmation, the Senate declared Mr President as insensitive over his refusal to instruct the Head of Nigeria Customs to compulsorily appear in uniform.

The main reason for the invitation of Hameed Ali by the Senate has been temporarily overtaken by event as the policy he was invited for explanations has been suspended by the Customs. Then what’s the character assassination of Ali by the Senate for? Does the Senate intend to substantiate the maxim that that the end of someone’s liberty is the beginning for others or the Senate simply intends to show supremacy even when such becomes inconsequential. Ali has been appearing in mufti since his appointment as and this is common knowledge. If his action contravenes provisions of the law, he should be appropriately called to order or sanctioned by designated authority.

Without being unnecessarily defensive of Hameed Ali, must the Senate result to intimidation on a matter like this especially when references exist that certain personalities from core military or other security background in the past headed paramilitary agencies other than the one they earned a career in this same country without wearing uniforms while others in similar circumstances acted otherwise by wearing uniforms either ceremoniously or otherwise? Ali is neither a Customs officer nor earned a career in the service of Customs. Therefore, the issue of uniform wearing in this situation requires more than a linear view.

Even the haters of Ali will agree that the Nigeria Customs Service has excelled under his watch in terms of remittances to the national treasury, our land borders are safer than before, the smugglers are currently suppressed and impunity no longer reigns in the Customs. An overall assessment of the NCS under Ali rates the agency far better than before and it is hoped that senators are not attempting to derail his good services with their unnecessary distractions over wearing of uniform.

Much as the Senate has statutory duties to checkmate the Executive, those duties should be performed without bias. Respect is earned and not demanded, the Senate is an institution that should earn respect and should not be ingloriously demanding for respect which accounts for why senators must be ‘distinguished’ but on the contrary, the Senate is populated with people that cannot pass the kind of integrity test they subjected Magu to.

If enabling laws guiding the office of the head of Nigeria Customs Service compels the occupant of that office to wear uniform then Hameed Ali must wear uniform as the law stipulates otherwise the man should be allowed to continue with his diligent duties. However, the responsibility rests on the shoulders of President Buhari who appointed Ali to make clarification on this matter before the Senate subjects his discretion to total disrepute.

Comrade Agboola is of the Good Citizen of Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]

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