The much-awaited elections into the various chapters of the Western zone of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANCLA) were Thursday conducted and winners have emerged.
The election was conducted for Apapa, PTML, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) and Seme chapters.
Some of the voters who spoke with SHIPS & PORTS DAILY at the venue of the elections, which held at Villa Park Hotel, Festac Town, Lagos asserted that it was not only free and fair, but the most peaceful conducted so far by the Association Electoral Commission (ASECO).
There was however a mild interruption during the voting process when a chairmanship aspirant of PTML, Lamin Aliu was disqualified on grounds that he did not meet the electoral guidelines.
Meanwhile, election into Apapa chapter saw all the incumbent executives including the Chairman, Olumide Fakanlu returned unopposed.
Alloysius Nze was re-elected unopposed as MMIA Chairman while Samuel Oluwole emerged Chairman of PTML chapter with 65 votes leaving his opponent, Oyebola Sunday with just two votes.
Bisiriyu Lasisi polled 41 votes to emerge chairman of Seme chapter. He defeated Onyekachi Orjinma who polled 33 votes. Ganiu Wasiu was elected vice chairman unopposed with 32 valid votes out of 74 total numbers of votes.
At KLT chapter, all the executive positions were not contested except the position of treasurer. Goddy Suleji was elected unopposed with 7 votes. The tenure of the incumbent chairman, Alloy Anokwuru is expected to elapse January 24, 2016.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after declaring the election results, the association’s election committee Chairman, Abdulazeez Babatunde said despite the challenges faced during the electioneering process, the body was able to institute a credible and fair voting process.
“If you have been part of our electoral processes, you will agree with me that up to the culmination of today (yesterday), there is no rancour and fighting in the town.
“We achieved this because we are very transparent and the process was open and all those that were stopped from contesting were given reasons and those reasons were factual,” he said.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.