– Western Zone Chapter Executives Heads for Legal Redress over Sole Administrators Appointment
– MMAC CRISES DEEPENS, AS COURT Serves Notice of Contempt
Again as the ugly developments in Nigeria’s foremost Clearing Agents association, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs (Agents) continues to fester, Prince Ozo Chukwura, a Chieftain and Vice Chairman of BOT of ANLCA in this second explosive interview with Roamrepporters online, reveals some bad antics deployed by the ANLCA’s National President Emenike Kingsley Nwokeoji which may not bring peace to the association. He actually championed that , the Emenike led NECOM must revert back to the peace process as laid down by both CRFFN and CCC. Especially, as it concerns the constitution of ANLCA ASECO members, BOT and Chapter Elections. Hear him.
FALL OUT OF LAST NEC MEETING:
Prince Ozo Chukwura:”There have been ugly developments since after the last National Executive Council ( NEC) meeting. Some of the Western Zone Chapters of the association elected by the Tony Iju Nwabunike’s NECOM came to me to complain that Sole Administrators have been appointed to their chapters. They informed me that they have contracted the services of a lawyer to write the NECOM through the National President that their tenure is still running till February 2025.”
The ANLCA’s BOT vice chairman lamented that some of the decisions so far taken by Emenike may lead the association to another unending crisis.
” Emenike has unilaterally taken a decision over the MMAC chapter elections that will drag the association into a serious crisis. He has dragged us into an issue that nobody knows how it is going to end.
“Tony Iju Nwabunike’s government was legitimate. He conducted Chapter elections, while he was still within four years of his tenure. A court judgment was handed over to him, asking him not to recognize whatever Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha’s BOT did then, including the elections of Chapter Executives he conducted then, especially the Tope Akindele election he conducted at MMAC.
” However, Tope Akindele wrote a letter that he has withdrawn from the case instituted over the Chapter election in MMAC and wrote an apology letter to Tony Iju Nwabunike – led NECOM.
Suddenly, the same Tope turned around to say he won the election.Who was his President then? Who swear him in and where.?
” Tope Akindele went to Badagry Magistrate court and got a judgement on his chapter elections and other chapters in the Western Zone, meaning all other chapters in the Zone were involved in the case. He got the judgement that he won the election as the chairman of the MMAC chapter, but at that point in time, the case was appealed by Tony Iju Nwabunike – led NECOM.
“The appeal was that there was a court judgment that had restrained the Nwabunike’s NECOM from recognising the BOT then led by Mustapha that set up the then ASECO that conducted Tope’s election. However, the new NECOM led by Emenike wrote to the association lawyer to withdraw the case.
” Now, all the chapter chairmen in the Western Zone and their executives under Tony Iju’s NECOM came together to challenge the matter in the court of appeal.This was because the case which was instituted by Tope Akindele at Badagry magistrate court where he got judgment involved all the chapters in the Western Zone.
Now all the Executives elected under Tony’s NECOM had tendered their certificates of returns to show that their tenure has not expired.”
When asked if he as the Vice Chairman of BoT have been informed officially of the Sole Administrators appointment or if it was discussed at the NEC meeting? Ozo Chukwura said ” Have not been informed , am just hearing it from grape vine, and it was not discussed at our last NEC meeting. I told you some Western Zone Chapter Excos came to me, aside that have not been informed by the President”.
MMAC CHAPTER CRISES / CONTEMPT OF COURT:
Prince Ozo Chukwura said:
“Also, the court has sent a notification letter to Emenike’s NECOM and the BOT under Mustapha of which I am the Vice chairman, asking them to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be committed to contempt charge by interfering with the MMAC election whose matter is on appeal.The letter was addressed to NECOM led by Emenike and BOT led by Mustapha”.
APPOINTMENT OF NEW ASECO MEMBERS:
OZO said though he has nothing against the newly appointed 5- members ASECO , but he has issues with the ASECO Chairmanship position and experience.
He said ” I don’t have issues with the new ASECO members, but the Chairmanship, his experience and number of members. From the CRFFN and CCC peace arrangement, the Chairmanship of ASECO should be from the other side( ie the side that did not produce BOT Chairman) to balance the equation. Also from my investigation and I want you journalists to investigate, the ASECO Chairman license is not more than two years. We have as a standard starting from the previous ASECO Chairmen, Prince Shittu, Mukaila, Late Aloy Anokwuru, Aloy Igwe, all were experienced and their licenses were more than 10 years. Imagine a two years license owner scrutinizing owners of 10 to 20 years license owners. Is like setting exams for Professors and giving it to School Cert. holders to mark.
” The ASECO Chairman and composition of the ASECO members should go back to the CRFFN/CCC arrangement for peace to reign”, Ozo said.
On if the ANLCA President refuses to yield to this demand, Ozo said ” if the President refuses, there are other legal ways , including officially informing the CCC and CRFFN, although he said they are all aware of these development.
TROUBLE MAKERS/ ELECTION LOSERS IN ANLCA:
Recalled in reaction to some dissenting voices in ANLCA asking for the right things to be done, including that of Prince Ozo Chukwura, the ANLCA National President has reacted by calling them Traditional Trouble makers and those who lost election as those igniting fresh crises in ANLCA. But Ozo Chukwura said, he is not afraid of being called a traditional trouble maker so far he is asking for the right things to be done, because of the younger generations coming after them.
“Yes am the traditional trouble maker, for asking for the right things to be done for peace to reign in ANLCA. What am I looking for? Have told you Emenike is a very good team player, but not a team leader. Before now have personally talk to him , but you can only advice. Did I contest for election,? am I contesting election with Emenike ?
WHY ANLCA IGBO PRESIDENTS ARE ALWAYS IN CRISES:
When asked why every tenure in ANLCA presided by an Igbo indigene is assumed to always be in crises. OZO said ” It is an in house problem, we can only solve it in house.
” My senior brother was the president of ANLCA, Eloka Okocha, I even relinquished election I won at Tin Can chapter for peace to reign. Have given a lot to this association for peace to reign, for Chrismatel to be President. But, unfortunately when the man weighed the trouble they were giving him is more than his personal business, he left the association quietly.
” Inua Mohammed came on interim , he left , Deputy President late Aare Sanni Shittu came, he left . Sir Ernest Elochukwu came, he completed his one year tenure, but he weighed his business and after four years he quietly left. I was among the people that went to pressurized him for second term, but refused.
” And Tony Iju came, he tried his best, he did everything he could, ANLCA was moving well, there was no Yoruba or Ibo, along the line , it was the board that troubled Tony Iju. The board has always troubled the NECOM, it was only during Chief Henry Njoku’s board that did not trouble Prince Shittu and that is why he was able to do 8 years.
“This present board some of them have been there since 2014, they troubled Tony Iju, he left. We now brought an Igbo man as president, the people that troubled Tony Iju are still there, added to Prince Ozo Chukwura and every criticism we make must be going to somebody and that person at the herm of affairs now is an Igbo man.
“That is why we reserved restraints to do somethings , but that does not mean we go sleeping, while our house is burning. We will talk , where is not possible to make changes , we can go and sleep, if that is what they want, but we shall continue to talk.”
ADVICE TO ANLCA NECOM:
” ANLCA has entered into a standard I find it difficult to explain. It is my personal calling to the President and his NECOM to review the guidelines of ASECO, review the conditions they are always entrenching into our constitution. If you know that you can no longer get people that have license up to 5- 10 years to do certain things, review it. Bring it downwards. But, as long as we continue to maintain a standard and when we get to the post you decided to shift it , is going to bring confusion “, Ozo Chukwura advice.
