ANLCA Members Donate N9 Million to Support Tony Iju to NASS

By ZION Olalekan

Members of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has contributed N9 million to support its National President, Tony Iju in his political campaign to clinch a seat into the House of Representatives in 2019.

Tony Iju is contesting for House of Representatives seat in Nnewi North/South and Ekwusigo federal constituency of Anambra State.

Speaking in Abuja during the 2nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held since he became the ANLCA president, Iju lamented that the current leadership crisis in the association is already affecting his political ambitions negatively.

At the NEC meeting, Factional Board Chairman of ANLCA, Henry Njoku rallied support for Iju’s campaign, urging members to pray for him to emerge as a member of House of Representatives, saying the new position would be used to further boost the image and reputation of ANLCA.

He said the association has also extended same gesture to some of its members in the eastern zone who are vying for political posts come 2019.

Meanwhile, the ANLCA President, Tony has disbanded his campaign organisation known as Tony Iju Campaign Organisation (TICO) saying that various members of the group have been using it to foment trouble.

TICO was his campaign vehicle comprising of loyalists who worked to make him emerge as ANLCA President.

Speaking on his political ambition, he told the NEC that “You people must know that I am trying to raise our association to another level, I am trying to raise it up so that our ways and our voices must be heard at the National Assembly, but the war within is affecting the outside war, it is the rat inside the house that will inform the rat outside that there is fish in the house, so it is affecting me and I need your prayers”.

Tony Iju also dispelled rumours of conflict between himself and the former Vice President of the association, Emenike Nwokeoji who is being paraded by some breakaway faction of the association as their president.

He said despite defeating Emenike at the election, they still maintained a good relationship.

He said “I and my brother Emenike never fought and he never said anything against me on the pages of newspapers, but if people are using your name to foment trouble and you are keeping quiet, it means you accepted it”.

The ANLCA President also urged the immediate past national president, Prince Olayiwola Shittu to come onboard and support him in finding a lasting solution to the brewing crisis in the association.

“Honestly I must tell you that he (Shittu) has been giving wonderful advice on the way forward, but you know that he would want to rest, ANLCA has taken a junk of his time for eight years, so I think he is resting.

“But as a father, he should come onboard to help and solve if there is any problems and I think we are moving forward”.