• No, it has not been ratified — ANLCA Spokesman
There is growing tension in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), following last week’s release of the report of the panel which the association constituted to look into grievances which arose as a result of the elections that were conducted into the chapters in the Western zone of the association in January.
The panel which is headed by a former chairman of the association’s electoral committee; Okenze Obinna had shocked most members with its report which recommended the annulment of elections in some chapters, and partial annulment in some.
The report was submitted to the association’s National Executive Committee (NECOM) last Tuesday, but since then, there have been sharp division in the association. While some wanted the report adopted as is, others called for some modifications.
All efforts by our correspondents to get any top member to comment on the development were unsuccesful, but two leaders of the association gave divergent positions on the controversial report, giving credence to the division.
The panel chairman, Okenze Obinna said on our radio programme; Shipping Position Live on Star FM last Wednesday that the panel’s recommendations have been adopted by the NECOM and that what was left was for the national executive council to implement it.
“We have submitted the report to NECOM and it has been accepted, all that is left is for the national executive to implement it, I hope they will do the needful by commencing impementation”, he said pointedly, even as he insinuated that the elections were fraught with manifest irregularities.
He nevertheless acknowledged that the electoral committee tried to do a good job, but added that it was obvious that it was overwhelmed at a point.
But, an indication of a disagreement was first noticed when the association’s national publicity secretary, Dr Obicee Okonkwo told reporters shortly after the meeting that the panel’s report have only been submitted and that the recommendations have not been adopted.
The ANLCA spokesman later sent text a message to members last Thursday, stating that there is no iota of truth in the rumours that the panel’s recommendations have been accepted. He reiterated what he said earlier, that they have not been adopted.
But our correspondent also confirmed that what is playing out has political undertones in preparation for two important elections that are coming.
A member of the association’s Board of Trustee (BoT) , who pleaded anonymity told Shipping Position Daily that the BoT election is coming up in June, while the National Executive Council elections is next year.
Already, underground campaign and realignment of forces have commenced in chapters like Apapa, Seme, and PTML where those who won the controversial elections were ‘thrown’ out of office last week, courtesy of the panel report. Similarly, gladiators at the Tin Can port chapters have also flagged-off discrete meetings
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