Election Crises Hits Association Of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents

•    May Sack Electoral Committee
•    Pro-Shittu, Anti-Shittu Camps Emerge
 
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is currently divided between supporters of the outgoing national president; Prince Olayiwola Shittu and loyalists of the Board of Trustees (BoT) over delay in conducting elections into the national executive committee (NECOM) of the association.

•    May Sack Electoral Committee
•    Pro-Shittu, Anti-Shittu Camps Emerge
 
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is currently divided between supporters of the outgoing national president; Prince Olayiwola Shittu and loyalists of the Board of Trustees (BoT) over delay in conducting elections into the national executive committee (NECOM) of the association.
The festering crisis is coming less than one month into the expiration of the four-year tenure of the incumbent national president.
After weeks of denial of any in-fighting, a clear indication however emerged last week when the board summoned the President and the chairman of the association’s electoral committee (ASECO); Alhaji Mukaila Babatunde as well as the president’s spokes person; Mr Joe Sanni.
Sources close to the parties confirmed to Shipping Position Daily last Friday that the board actually met and that “some far-reaching decisions “were taken.
Our correspondents confirmed that the board meeting which was presided over by its coordinator; Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha decided that the elections that were due in April were no longer feasible.
It was also confirmed that the board summoned the president media aide who had earlier in the week wrote a stinker to members of the association, in which he alleged and raised alarm of plans to scuttle the expected elections.
In the open letter, he fell short of directly pointing accusing fingers at the Board members. He was never-the-less summoned to appear at the Thursday meeting along with his principal; Prince Shittu. He was pronounced suspended for one year by the board, but that decision was reportedly resisted by the President, who was said to have pointed out the illegality of it. He however advised that such a decision would further heat up the association, and suggested that the matter should be referred to the association’s disciplinary committee instead.
Efforts to speak with most members of the board proved above, but our correspondent was able to reach one of them; Mr Tony Nwabunike, who denied allegations that the board was deliberately scuttling election timetable.
 He however confirmed that the elections could no longer hold in April.  We are trying to make sure that things are done in order, we will give three months extension to the national executive committee to enable them prepare their handover notes.
“He (The President) should prepare to handover , you know ANLCA now has properties all over the country at chapters and national levels, we also have many bank accounts, all these must be properly looked into”, he told our correspondent last  Friday.
When asked why it took the board so long to take a decision, knowing that elections would be due in April, the former ANLC National Secretary recalled the board was elected in February and that it held its first meeting with the executive committee shortly after, and that the board at that meeting requested for some documents.
“ (The board) have six years, so why are we in a hurry, we have our long term plans about how we  want to operate”, he added.
He however dispelled the rumour that all the board is doing is targeted at the incumbent president, who has a second term ambition.
But, Shipping Position Daily confirmed that there are plans to dissolve the association electoral committee, whose chairman is perceived as being loyal to the president.
The development is also causing a lot of apprehension among members, especially at the various chapter levels.
A chapter chairman who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that many of the chapter chairmen are not in support of the board members; he vowed that the board will not find it easy at the meeting where the board is expected to unveil its decision to the leadership.