The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has said that all freight forwarding associations in the maritime sector must embrace democratic succession in its leadership at both national and chapter levels.
This directive is contained in a letter signed by the Registrar of the Council; Sir Mike Jukwe in response to the crisis rocking the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) which recently led to the arrest and detention of its national President, Dr. Frank Ukor by the Police.
Shipping Position Daily had reported that the association was factionalised over unresolved leadership crisis at its Onne Chapter in Port Harcourt.
Also, AREFFN president, Frank Ukor claimed to have been given a tenure extension of six months by the association’s National Executive Council to conduct elections and hand over to new executives.
Meanwhile another faction, led by: Ejike Metuh, Innocent Elum, Alhaji Bala Lawan and Chidi Okpara were alleged to be fueling the crisis and truncating efforts to conduct elections. They had allegedly set police officers to arrest and detain the AREFFN president.
In its reaction to the crisis, the CRFFN has thrown its weight behind the Frank Ukor-led executives.
In the letter which was sighted by Shipping Position Daily, the council affirmed that the current national executive led by Dr. Frank Ukor is the authentic leadership recognized by the CRFFN
In the letter with reference number: CRFFN/AREFFN/RG/014, the Council stated that in accordance with the Act of the CRFFN, "associations are reminded that Nigeria is a democratic nation and all professional associations have queued into the democratic system of succession of executives, both local or national level"
Declaring the Ejike Metuh group as illegal, the CRFFN ruled that: "In the same vein, our noble profession is operating on democratic system of election that neither your constitution nor our Act recognizes appointment into executive positions, if any attempt was made, it is null and void"
"The current national executive led by Dr. Frank Ukor is the authentic leadership recognized by the CRFFN", it stated in the letter.
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