National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs’ Agents (ANLCA) Prince Olayiwola Shittu has urged his members not to allow their forthcoming elections to divide them.
This is contained in a statement issued by the association on Thursday in Lagos, and made available to news men.
Shittu made the plea while addressing the executive officers and members of chapters in the Western Zone at a zonal meeting conveyed by the Zonal Coordinator, Sir John Ofobike.
Shittu urged the members to imbibe the vision of unity and professionalism.
“We should not allow negative forces to divide us because of elections. Elections will come and go but ANLCA will remain as one.
“ So, there is no need playing into the hands of godfathers who have nothing positive to offer,’’ he said.
The ANLCA president advised members, particularly those in the Western Zone, to avoid patronizing those who were parading themselves as godfathers ahead of the forthcoming chapters’ elections in the zone.
Shittu said that encouraging god-fatherizm in the electoral process would jeopardize the dream of building a great, united and truly professional association.
Earlier, Sir John Ofobike had told members that his office, in conjunction with the Association’s Electoral Commission (ASECO), would “ensure that the forthcoming chapters’ elections in the Zone would be hitch-free.
He said the crisis which usually trailed elections in the zone in the past were due to the activities of those with self-interest and ulterior motives.
Ofobike described ANLCA as a professional body, saying that anybody aspiring to its leadership position should have the interest of the association at heart.
He advised those playing ethnic politics in the association to desist from it, adding that there was no room for them in the association.
“The era of seeing Apapa Chapter as being for the Yoruba, Tin-Can Island Chapter for Igbo and the likes, no longer holds water in the electoral process.
“ANLCA operates on free and fair electoral process based on the ASECO guidelines. Every bona-fide member has equal opportunity to aspire to any position in the association,’’ he said.
Ofobike commended the ASECO Chairman, Alhaji Abdulazeez Mukaila, and his team for building a credible data base to ensure a level-playing ground for all aspirants.
On his part, ASECO Chairman, Abdulaxeex Mukaila, commended the zonal coordinator for taking special interest in the electoral process.
He said the involvement of the zonal coordinator in the sensitization process had been of tremendous help to the electoral body in its preparations for the forthcoming Western Zone’s elections.
Mukaila described ANLCA as a professional body of customs brokers, adding that,“ Without a customs license, one has no business in the association, not to talk of aspiring to occupy a leadership position’’.
He said the election procedure was open to all to know who was qualified or not to participate.
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