Oodua Maritime Forum Threatens to Resist Igbos in ANLCA

BY ZION OLALEKAN |

Even as the chapter elections of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has been billed to take place sometime early next year, the Oodua Logistics Association (Oodua Maritime Forum) has vowed to prevent Igbo men from claiming any chapter in the western zone.

The group has also charged its chapter chairmen to come together and obtain a practicing license in order to achieve their aims and objectives.

This was stated by the President General of the group, Chief Oye Ariyo at the official inauguration of Oodua chapter executives in Lagos yesterday.

At the meeting which was attended by the immediate past National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, Ariyo assured that in the eastern zone elections, the association is sure of clinching seven positions in the coming eastern zone elections.

He also added that the solution to the crisis in ANLCA can only be gotten from the Oodua group.

“We are looking up to our leaders ahead of us, this is how they started ANLCA and today, it is a national ANLCA. After we finish with Western Zone, we are going to Eastern Zone to establish Oodua, we would intimidate them and there is nothing they can do, the more they are coming to the west to claim rights, we would also go over there to claim rights.

“I can assure you that in the next coming election of ANLCA, we would get seven of our people to win position over there. Would make sure we use any means possible to achieve our aim”.

Also speaking at the meeting, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of ANLCA, Prince Taiye Oyeniyi expressed anger at a statement allegedly credited to the Igbo group threatening to hijack four out of the nine chapters of ANLCA in the western zone.

He said “At the meeting that was done by Igbos recently, they have vowed to take four seats out of the nine ports we have in the western port.

“The western zone is almost here, the one we did at Lilypond was characterised by infighting, but the Western Zone election shall be peaceful, whatever law that is not applicable in the East cannot be applicable here in the western zone”.

“I was among those that went to conduct election at the Eastern Zone, all the chapters there were dominated by easterners they did not give us a single position, and we have about forty of our people there.

“After concluding the election, they are still demanding to get from some of the chapters in Lagos State. It depends on you to allow them or not to allow them; an Igbo man cannot claim any chapter without a Yoruba man”.

Oyeniyi charged the newly inaugurated chairmen to come together and obtain a license that they could all be managing directors. He said they should start doing this to ensure that when the western zone election starts, they will be able to come out and vote.