The ANLCA president left and a former president of the association, Prince Olayiwola Shittu on the right at the event.
Story by Dili Utomi.
It was a fully packed venue at the Federal Palace hall, Victoria Island, Thursday as the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANCLA) conducted elections into some chapters of the Western zone.
The election which had all the board of trustees (BOT) and national executive committee (NECOM) members in attendance presented an opportunity for the rumours about a continuation of the rift in the association to be laid to rest. Physically present were national executive committee members such as the president, Emenike Nwokeoji, Prince Segun Oduntan, Hajia Bola Muse, Olumide Fakanlu, Emmanuel Onyeme, Lekan Salau and others
The election was largely smooth sailing and ran into the night as the accreditation did not proceed early enough. The president of the association had in his opening speech admonished members to conduct themselves with utmost respect and decorum noting that elections are won and lost and that he had also lost in an ANLCA election before. He further chided those who would want to disabilise the election procedures to move away from the venue and go elsewhere.
At the end of the excercise, the Seme Area Command chapter of the association had all the contestants returned unopposed. The Ports Terminal Multi-Services Limited Command chapter had only the positions of secretary and chairman vied for as others went unopposed. The Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command chapter also had all the contestants returning unopposed.
The two big chapters of Tin Can and Apapa were more keenly contested and at the end, while Tin Can Island Port Command chapter had a successful election, the Apapa Command chapter election was declared rather inconclusive by the BOT Chairman, Chief Taiwo Mustapha. This action was necessitated by the developing rowdy time occasioned by two numbers not tallying. The accredited figure was 108 for the chapter while those that voted were 125 in number thereby causing a lot of disaffection that almost degenerated into fisticuffs.
The list of elected officers for each chapter as at the time of going to press for the Seme Area Command chapter shows Wasiu Toyin Abioye as Chairman, Zabairo Ajamat Vice chairman, Austin Nwosu as Secretary, Segun Joseph as Treasurer, Rasaq Ibrahim as Financial Secretary and Okunola Akeem Taiwo as Public Relations Officer.
The elected Seme Area Command chapter chairman in brown attire with friends at the event.
At the KLT Command chapter, Chibuzo Ogamba stepped down from the chairmanship race shortly before voting commenced as Ahmed Olajide Bello became the elected Chairman unopposed, Adetola Adesanya Secretary, Absulsalam Ademola Wasiu Assistant Secretary, Kayode Ajayi as Treasurer, Ariyo Bunmi Grace Financial Secretary.
The PTML chapter has Charles Sunday Nwaneri as chairman, Babatunde Adekoya as Vice Chairman, Ayokunle Sulaiman as secretary, Balogun Sherifat as Assistant Secretary, Adeyemi Haastrup as Treasurer, Sunday Ugorji as Financial Secretary, and Francis Anderson as Public Relations Officer.
The Tin Can Island Port Command chapter has Wale Cole as chairman, Sonniel Onochie as Vice Chairman, Franky Paul Nwegbe as secretary, Yetunde Ilori as Treasurer, Sunanna Ogunwunmi as Financial Secretary, Ijigade Temitope as assistant secretary, Onome Monije as public relations officer.
In a renewed bid for unity among the freight forwarding community, several officers of different freight forwarding/Licensed Customs agents associations were on hand to monitor the elections and show some solidarity. Mr. Emeka Nwosu, the general secretary of NAGAFF was at the event so also were some members of APFFLON notably Comrade Akeem Ayobiojo and Clinton Okoro as well as others from other associations.
The president of ANLCA also clarified that the impasse existing in the election of the Apapa chapter executive committee members shall soon be addressed.
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