ANLCA ELECTIONS BACKLASH:

* Accuses ANLCA President; Olayiwola Shittu Of Highjacking BoT

A disenfranchised contestant at Monday’s Tin can Island Chapter election of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mr Kayode Farinto has accused the Nigeria Customs Service of collaborating with the Associations Electoral Committee (ASECO) of the association in order to edge him out of the elections which held in Lagos.

* Accuses ANLCA President; Olayiwola Shittu Of Highjacking BoT

At a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, Farinto also declared that he is set to sue the Nigeria Customs Service as well as the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade; Mr. Julius Nwagu for allegedly unilaterally blocking his operating license; Wealthy Honey Investment Nigeria Limited.

Farinto has also lambasted the National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu alleging that he is a biased leader and that he has practically highjacked the role of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the association.

"I am personally suing DCG Nwagu in his capacity as the DCG Tariff and Trade for his unilateral action to have blocked my license, I am also going to sue the Nigeria Custom Service for blocking my license", he vowed.

He alleged that on the 21st of June 2013 when he was supposed to go for a pre-election interview with ASECO, he noticed that his practicing license has been blocked. "I made some calls to Abuja and I was informed that my license was blocked by DCG Julius Nwagu", he alleged.

Farinto claimed that the license in question has not been used for any cargo declaration in the past six months in order to avoid any form of intimidation on account of his intentions to contest as Tin Can chairman.

According to Farinto, Nwagu's actions have shown that he is biased and supporting his opponents in the election process.

He alleged that his fearless role in criticizing the unfriendly policies of the customs on behalf of his members, especially on the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), has placed him on the bad side of the leadership of the service.

He also accused association’s electoral body of haven been compromised.

According to him, "the ASECO who is supposed to be an umpire is biased, part of the guidelines did not say that blocking of license is a perquisite from contesting election, it states that when you have a valid license you can stand for any election".

He claimed that he has visuals to tender in court to corroborate these claims. Farinto alleged that the secretary of ASECO is not a licensed member of the association.

"We want journalist to ask why somebody that is not a licensed member is made the secretary of the electoral body"

"The constitution states that the BoT appoints and supervises the ASECO, but recent incidents have shown that our National President actually highjacked the role of the BoT, the board members have been intimidated, coerced or cajoled", he alleged.

"The Board of Trustees election is billed to take place by August for another six years, but the members have been intimidated that if they don't do the bidding of the president, they will not be re-elected".
But, earlier yesterday, the chairman of the association’s electoral committee, Alhaji Babatunde Mukaila, while fielding questions on our sister product; Shipping Position Live on Star FM, 101.5 that there was no irregularities in the elections and that the guidelines were duly followed.
He explained that all the usual channel of communicating information about the election was used to inform all contestants and electorates that the elections would hold on Monday.
However, the association’s national president, Prince Olayiwola could not be reached for comments. His telephone lines were switched off when our correspondents called him after Mr Farinto spoke to the press.