For the first time in the history of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), an election was conducted to produce a Board of Trustees.
The keenly contested election was held on Thursday at the Wellington Hotel in Warri, Delta State.
Out of thirteen contestants, nine were elected into the association’s highest advisory body.
The nine elected board members include Tony Iju Nwabunike with the highest votes of 298, followed by Ernest Elochukwu with 280 votes, Henry Njoku with 266 votes, Taiye Oyeniyi with 241, Peter Obih with 237, Aare Sanni Shittu and Dayo Azeez both with 233 votes, Dennis Okafor with 203 votes and Taiwo Mustapha with 198 votes. Former BoT Chairman, Chief Henry Njoku was also elected into the board.
The elected BoT members had the upperhand over Mikky Okunola with 191 votes, Obi Azodo with 146 votes, Enoch Iwueze with 113 votes, and Isa Aliyu with 103 votes.
The first ever elected BoT members garnered their support from the 368 votes cast out of which two were voided.
The election was not without the usual intrigues especially with the results announced long past midnight and the new BoT members not immediately choosing among themselves their Chairman as was expected.
The new board was inaugurated by the ANLCA National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, who declared that the process of the new board members choosing their leader would be carried out at the ANLCA national secretariat at a later date.
Shittu who expressed joy in the conduct and outcome of the election said that he is the luckiest president to be superintending the emergence of the calibre of members presently sitting on the board.
“The job I have done in the past four years is not in vain with this calibre of people interested in the Board. For coming out to participate is a vindication that present administration of ANLCA has done something worthy,” he stated.
Shittu said that the rationale behind conducting election for board was to fully democratize the advisory body responsible for playing the role of father to other members of the association.
Speaking with SHIPS & PORTS DAILY after the inauguration, one of the new board members Chief Henry Njoku who was chairman of the former BoT said that he has always had the zeal to serve the association whether or not as a member of the Board.
He said that as Chairman of the former board, he fought for peace within the association and in the acquisition of a befitting secretariat for the association among other achievements.
Njoku said that it does not matter to him if or not he is returned as Chairman of the new Board because he is willing to serve the association in any capacity.
“I was not born the Chairman of the Board. I have served this association in different capacities and I am prepared to serve at any level” Njoku said.
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