Senate threatens Warrant of Arrest on Chairman, Yokohama Motors

Yokohama Motors Goes to Court

There are indications that the National Assembly and Yokohama Motors may be on a collision course over duty payment  as  the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise, and Tariff summons the Chairman of Yokohama Motors to appear before  it or risks a warrant of arrest.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Francis Alimikhena told newsmen after a meeting in Abuja

Senator Alimikhena disclosed that Yokohama Motors is owing Federal Government Customs duty worth millions of naira, which the company  has refused to shed light on nor explain their part of the story.

According to Alimikhena, ”the Chairman of Yokohama Motors went to Kanu Agabi Chambers to obtain a letter saying that the Senate Committee cannot invite him to our meeting. We are not over sighting Yokohama. We are saying he should throw more light on the Custom duty that he evaded, instead of him to pay the money, he is running to various legal practitioners to obtain  letters. We have invited Chairman of Yokohama Motors to appear before us on Thursday unfailingly otherwise we will issue a warrant of arrest”,   Alimikhena said.

He disclosed that  the Yokohama is owing the federal government about N575 being duty unpaid by the company.

Twist in the Matter

One of the lawyers in the chamber of   Kanu Agabi and Associates, Barrister Kanu Oko, informed that they were in the National Assembly because their client was invited by the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff on the allegation that they have defrauded the Federal Government.

Bar Kanu said the section of the constitution that gives the Senate their powers only gives them power when it relates to issues of making laws for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with emphasis laid on section 88 (2) of the constitution.

In his words “I believe if the Chairman of the Committee takes a look at the section just mentioned, they will understand the limits of their powers. They feel and believe that the Senate has unlimited powers limitless; they said that to us. I think that a court of competent jurisdiction will sresolve the issue soonest

Kanu said they are seeking legal option because they cannot take the law into their hands. ‘If we have issue with the Senate Committee, the only place we can run to is the court “, Kanu said.