Board of Trustees stops ANLCA election

Board of Trustees stops ANLCA election

• Election will hold today, ASECO insists

The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Friday told members of the association it has decided to postpone the National Executive Committee (NECOM) election scheduled to today.

Citing “Section 13 (5 c & d) of ANLCA Supreme Constitution”, the Board said it has responsibilities to handle transition in the association.

“We observed that the plan to hold elections on 14″ April, 2014 is inappropriate and inadequate, as the Electoral College system planned for the elections is inconsistent with ANLCA Supreme Constitution that stipulates that AGM of all corporate body members should elect the NECOM. “It should be noted that the ASECO (Association Electoral Commission) has been acting unilaterally, with total disregard to the constitutional position of the Board,” the BOT said in a notice signed by seven of its nine members.

Chief Henry Njoku, Chief Ernest Elochukwu, Hon. Tony Iju Nwabunike, Aare Sanni Shittu, Chief Dennis Okafor, Prince Taye Oyeniyi and Chief Peter Obih all signed the postponement notice while the Coordinator of the BOT, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha and a member, Mr. Dayo Azeez, did not sign.

“The BOT insists that things should be done right; if AGM was used for elections into Chapter Executive Committees and election of members of BOT, we do not see why we should go against our Supreme, Constitution and use the collegiate system to elect NECOM members ‘ who run the affairs of the Association daily and directly. The Board will not allow the unconstitutional ploy to disenfranchise over 800, financially up-to-date, corporate members of the Association who will constitute the AGM and involve only about 52 members in the planned Electoral College.

“These corporate members duly participated in the biometrics conducted by the Association to identity its members and were issued cards that can pass for voters’ cards. We have been inundated with complaints from these aggrieved members and other stakeholders against the collegiate election, including court summons in suit No. PH/L/CS/500/14 at Federal High Court. Lagos against the BOT.

“Hence, we must calm all nerves to avoid dissipating energy on an election that will be a nullity or a process that will cause breach of peace. We enjoin our respected members nationwide to remain calm and not take laws into their hands, as we will ensure healthy resolution of this situation and legitimate election schedule will be announced in due course,” the board members stated even as they called on the ASECO to discontinue with further preparations towards the election.

Meanwhile the ASECO Chairman, Alhaji Mukhaila Abdulazeez, has insisted that the NECOM election will be held today as scheduled.

“Since the process began constitutionally on 15/1/2014, NECOM elections will hold as scheduled on 14/4/2014,” Abdulazeez stated. He said eligible voters should feel free to exercise their voting rights.

During chat with SHIPS & PORTS DAILY earlier last week, Abdulazeez had assured members of the association of a credible outcome of the election.

The ASECO Chairman told SHIPS & PORTS DAILY in his office on Wednesday that necessary arrangements have been made to ensure a hitch-free election process that will usher in new leaders of the association.

Abdulazeez said his commission was not disturbed by series of intrigues by aggrieved individuals within the fold. He also dispelled allegations of disharmony between ASECO and the BOT.

Abdulazeez also insisted that only those duly elected at the appropriate levels are eligible to vote during the Monday election.

He said: “Dated 3rd of March this year ASECO published a list of those that are supposed to cast their votes during the election but some people had a different opinion and they vented their opinion at the NEC meeting and overwhelmingly everybody accepted that there is a precedence and that should be followed. So those that are expected to vote are those that are democratically elected at the chapter level, the national level and zonal level. Those are the qualified voters.

“Ever since I have come to know ANLCA this has been the trend. Just four years ago I happen to be the same ASECO Chairman that conducted the election of Prince Olayiwola Shittu led-administration. It was collegiate by nature,” he declared.