Even as the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is set to hold its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja today, the new faction of the association which emerged last week has vowed not to attend the event.
The NEC is the highest decision making body of ANLCA.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily last week, members of the new faction of ANLCA headed by former vice president; Mr. Emenike Nwokeoji said the group would no longer attend any meeting called by My Tony Nwabunike as ANLCA President.
One of them, (names withheld) disclosed that the faction and its Board of Trustees (BoT) headed by its Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha is set to inaugurate its own Association Electoral Committee (ASECO).
According to him, immediately the ASECO has been constituted, a tentative date for the elections into the nine chapters in the Western Zone chapters would be announced.
"All these activities will hold at the ANLCA national secretariat in Festac, we have already informed the Nigerian Police. Apart from these, we are planning to hold our western zone end-of-the-year party also at the secretariat"
Also speaking with our correspondent, another member of the faction said they had it on good authority that part of the agenda of the Abuja NECOM meeting was to suspend the Western Zone Coordinator, Sir John Oforbike and Secretary of the Zone, Bayo Oyekangun.
He alleged that the Henry Njoku BoT faction also plans to appoint their stooge as interim administrators of the western zone chapters, pending the elections.
Meanwhile, President of ANLCA, Nwabunike has denied declaring support for the Henry Njoku faction of the BoT.
Nwabunike in a statement sent to our correspondent through his Senior Special Assistant on media; Val Iwuchuckwu said "Customs Brokers across the country should be contented that as at today the National President did not and have not given such instruction and that declaration was not taken out by any of his aid. The press release from my office did not suggest and was not intended to preempt a matter already listed as Agenda for NECOM of 17/12/18."
"BOT is a vital organ of ANLCA, its tenure, duties and functions are clearly spelt out in the Supreme Constitution of great ANLCA. If there is internal crisis within the Board, it is expected that it should be resolved amicably from within"
An outsider coming into it should first of all ask what is the Constitutional provision as it concerns BOT? NECOM will use persuasion, it will use moral and religious adjuration for the interest of peace, but ultimately the Supreme Constitution of ANLCA which they swore to uphold and protect will always prevail"
"I have at various times heard and read the NP appealed to fellow professional colleagues to give him time to settle down first in office in order to resolve the BOT crisis amicably" Iwuchukwu stated.
Discussion about this post