The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has found itself embroiled in yet another contentious debate surrounding the elongation of the tenure of its National Executive Committee Members (NECOM). This is more so, if the recently postponed election of the association does not hold before the expiration of the tenure which ends on July 16.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that by July 16, the current NECOM would have served out the provisional 90-day extension provided by the association’s constitution, following the expiration of its five-year tenure. This has raised concerns among members about the potential implications of the NECOM remaining in office beyond July 16, 2023.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that members of the association as well as industry watchers were eagerly anticipating the elections as an opportunity for renewal and emergence of new leaders.
However, the postponement of the NECOM’s election by the Association Electoral Committee (ASECO) Chairman; Aloy Nze Igwe is believed to have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the process, raising questions about transparency and fairness.
This is even as factional members of the association belonging to Chief Emenike Nwokeoji argued that any extension by the current NECOM may undermine the democratic spirit of the ANLCA by allowing incumbents to retain their positions for an extended period.
In a statement made available to our correspondent by Mr. Joe Sanni, the former National Publicity Secretary of the association, he raised concerns about the legality of the tenure extension and questioned the provision of an acting National President in the association’s constitution. He argued that previous meetings and constitutions had been declared null and void by a court order, further complicating the tenure extension.
He said: “Show us in the extant Supreme Constitution of ANLCA 2008, where acting National President is provisioned? Our 4-year tenure has since extinguished on the 16th of April 2022.”
Speaking also, a member of the association at Tin Can Island port who pleaded anonymity accused the current NECOM of holding unto power with no plans of leaving office. He said: “They illegally extended four years tenure to five years, as if that was not enough, they extended the five years by another three months and now they still want to remain in office and that is why they have asked the ASECO chairman to postpone the election, why are they doing this, are they afraid?”.
But, in defence of the tenure extension, Babatunde Mukaila, the National Secretary of the association, explained that, “the bottom line is entrenched in the constitution; for any reason when the election is inconclusive or could not hold, then there is going to be an extension of tenure. So, the constitution provides that there must be a sitting government, if anything goes after the additional 90 days then the board will take over.”
On his part,, Aloy Nze Igwe, the Chairman of Association Election Committee, when asked if the ASECO put into consideration that the tenure of the current NECOM will expire by July 16, before deciding to postpone the election, he said “We have a constitutional provision for that; where issues like this can be discussed, so when we get to the bridge, we will cross it.”
