The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) which held on Monday ended in disarray as some factional members of the association staged a walk-out of the meeting following irreconcilable differences.
Our correspondent who witnessed the NEC meeting observed that trouble started when the former National Publicity Secretary of the association, Mr Joe Sani introduced some of the National Executive Committee members of the association and referred to Dr. Kayode Farinto as the Vice President of the association and not acting President, even as he argued that the ANLCA constitution does not make provision for the position of the acting president and as such he can’t be recognised in that way.
Sani went further to state that he had the directive of the Chairman BoT, Taiwo Mustapha to cancel or postpone the NEC meeting insisting that the acting president Dr. Kayode Farinto does not have the right to preside over the meeting.
In his defence, Farinto stated that in the absence of the President of the association, the Vice President takes charge, while informing that when a NEC meeting is called, it is the association President that presides over the NEC meeting and not the Chairman of the BoT.
Following his defence, members of the two factions argued back and forth. This is even as they threatened to exchange blows over who should preside over the meeting.
After a short-lived moment of silence, the factions agreed that the acting president; Dr. Kayode Farinto should read his speech. In the speech, Farinto stated that “Professional colleagues, I thank you all for coming for this Emergency National Executive Council meeting which is hurriedly called.
“It shows your level of commitment and loyalty to our great Association. You recall that we have started a peace initiative which was midwifed by the Chairman of our great Council, CRFFN and we went ahead to solve the Board issue with the 4/4 arrangement and equally constituted our Electoral body tagged ASECO. Unfortunately, we lost the then Chairman, late Alloy Anokwuru before the appointment of the current chairman Chief Alloy Igwe, who has been the Executive Chairman of MM Chapter for two terms.
“The first reason for calling this NEC was a development where we read in the newspapers and online news that, the Board asked the current ASECO to submit their individual Licenses for scrutiny which negates the constitution of our Association that stipulates that the Board shall nominate members of ASECO which shall be ratified by the NEC.
“This development came just a few weeks before the election proper and it calls for concern, however I wish to reiterate that this is wrong no matter the good intention.
“Secondly, gentlemen and ladies, we shall be delighted if this ASECO will inform this gathering, having fixed July 5″ 2023 for the election, the venue for the election and whether she is ready to continue with the conduct of the election or otherwise”.
Speaking further on the recognised board that will precide over the association’s election, Farinto explained that: “In the course of the crises, Chief Ernest Elochukwu and others insisted and compelled the Nigerian Police to write to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to determine which was the genuine Board. It will interest the NEC to know that the Commission has written back that she has canceled two certificates which were in contention and saying that Chief Henry Njoku and others are still the recognized Board members.
“In view of this, we will be delighted and will want it to be on record as to which Board will supervise the forthcoming NECOM Election to forestall any litigation after the election.
Finally he said: “Due to the latest happening by the new government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, which has removed Fuel Subsidy, the Foreign Exchange official rate which is now to be determined by the Market forces (i.e., Willing buyer and Willing sellers) and that on Friday, the CBN has changed our transaction rate to 589 naira to a dollar and by this, the import duty on vehicles has increased by about 45% while that of other consignment has also increased just this morning PTML has shown intention to increase her storage charges by about 45%. I want to officially request for mitigants from the Federal Government for all Customs Brokers.
“This becomes imperative to ameliorate the suffering of Customs Brokers in Nigeria. These mitigants shall be in the form of incentives like giving us 1% of money generated annually and other things to cushion the effect of these policies. I shall unveil other mitigants that I think will be useful to us next week” he said
However, shortly after his speech a member of the association from the Tin Can island chapter, Barr. Mike Imonitie Ovien argued that since the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has refused to recognise the 2014 board as such he said it means the election that brought in the current NECOM members cannot be recognised he called on the NECOM members to step down as he said they don’t have the capacity to preside over the meeting.
Speaking also, the Publicity Secretary of the PTML chapter of the association, Ayo Sulaiman described the speech read by the acting president as a speech filled with landmines, he said there’s a cross delivery of purpose and as such members of the association cannot be cowed into a kangaroo NEC meeting. Following his argument members of the association resorted to name calling and abuse even as some threatened to throw punches at each other.
Mike Ebeatu, Chairman of the Onne chapter of the association speaking also at the meeting lamented and frowned at the way the easterners are being treated whenever they come down to Lagos for a meeting.
He said “It is appalling for us to leave our businesses families and pay flight ticket to come down to Lagos to be treated like this, this is not good at all, I will asked that the nextNEC meeting be taken outside Lagos, maybe Abuja or Benin so that you can all feel what we feel.
“How can we fly down, leave all we have to do and come down here to be treated like this” he lamented.
The meeting however ended abruptly as members threatened to beat-up one other over the unresolved crisis.
Some elders present at the meeting included; Chief Taiye Oyeniyi, Chief Henry Njoku, Prince Ozor Chukwura among others.
