There are indications that the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) may dump the controversial report of its Election Petition Panel.
Contrary to expectations, the National Executive Committee (NECOM) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the association last Wednesday failed to adopt the recommendations of the petition panel submitted over three weeks ago thereby heightening apprehension that the report may have been dumped.
In its edition of 22nd March, 2012; SHIPS & PORTS DAILY had reported the National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Dr. Obicee Okonkwo, as saying that the Election Petition Panel’s report was not sacrosanct.
“What the panel submitted are mere recommendations and the association will decide on either to uphold or reject any part that may be at variance with the ideals of the association”, Okonkwo had stated in a statement sent to SHIPS & PORTS DAILY.
National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, during an exclusive chat with SHIPS & PORTS DAILY also affirmed Okonkwo’s position.
“I’ve continued to tell people that it is too soon to be dancing for those who went to do thanksgiving for a report that has not been sanctioned by the association itself. Nobody among all the candidates has been given Certificate of Return because we don’t want to preempt the outcome of the panel report and we don’t want to preempt the final decision of the Association. So, it is better for us to keep our fingers crossed”, Shittu said.
Shittu had set up the Election Petition Panel to investigate allegations of anomalies during the association’s Western Zone chapter elections held early this year.
In its report, the panel had recommended, among others, that the Association Electoral Commission (ASECO) be reconstituted and elections be re-conducted for the Apapa Area 1, Seme Border, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Tin-Can Island chapters.
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