Some members of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) have kicked against the three months minimum duration for eligibility of voters in the coming elections into the association’s chapters.
The aggrieved members who spoke yesterday at NAGAFF headquarter in Lagos when the association kicked off the electioneering campaigns in the chapters also said that allowing someone who have just spent three months in the association to contest for any post will affect the emergence of credible contestants.
Speaking during the event, one of the members who pleaded anonymous said that the three months duration will not give rooms for credible leaders to be elected into various positions.
“It will not give room for credible persons to be elected into office. People who do not know anything about the association because they have stayed up to three months can just come and assume a vital position which is not good for the association. To me I think the person supposed to have stayed at least two years before contesting for anything” he said.
Another member said that by giving people who just spent three months in the association opportunity to contest, the committee has negated the constitution of the association.
“By these three months, they have set aside the constitution of the association. The constitution said a minimum of two years and they are saying three months, I don’t know how they came about that” he said.
Also speaking the Vice Chairman Apapa chapter of the association, Eze Uchendu said that by giving people who have just stayed three months in the association opportunity to contest, it will give room for people who do not have the association at heart the chance to contest.
“I want to urge the committee to do something about that, they should not be recruiting people to come and assume offices in the association”
Meanwhile, founder of the association, Dr Boniface Aniebonam said why the association opted for three months is to be able to inject new people into the association.
“NAGAFF can’t not be intimidated by anybody, anybody that is not ready to follow the trend can join any other association, don’t allow yourselves to be used. I urge you all to bring in new members. I put that three months because I want to inject new members into the association. As I am talking to you now, somebody has promised us a plot of land in Port-Harcourt. People are against the three months because they are very greedy. Education is key to holding any position in this coming election”, he told the aggrieved members.
Dr Aniebonam also warned members against tribal sentiment saying that anybody caught in the act will be expelled.
“I want to warn against tribal sentiments, there is nothing like I am Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba here we are all the same. Anybody reported for tribal sentiment if after investigation and we found the person guilty, the person stands to be expelled from the association. Our strength should be in our unity and diversity” he concluded.
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