We are still in Court with CRFFN— ANLCA Ex- President

Zion Olalekan

Former National President of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Sir Earnest Elochukwu has said that the association is still in court with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

Elochukwu told Nigeriamaritime360.com at the weekend that the ANLCA national president, Tony Iju Nwabunike acted in breach of the association constitution when he decided to withdraw the court case without consulting with or approval of the National Executive Council (NEC).

Elochukwu also kicked against the CRFFN election recently conducted, describing it as an act of indecency.

He said that the decision to go to court was taken at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and it is only the NEC that can decide to withdraw the case.

“Some persons like us are watching whether the minister will for whatever reason condone this indecency.

“You and I know that what happened in the CRFFN was not an election, the Act said that registered freight forwarders should be elected as the chairman and vice chairman of the council, whereas 15 other members from various sectors of the industry participated, the word says ‘election’ from the registered freight forwarders.

“The election was supposed to have been handled by a body sanctioned by the council sitting, but because of the kind of characters that abound in this industry, it became apparent that they cannot allow a simple election to take place, this was why there was a lot of shenanigans that were done in that so called election.

“Why would you say that there is an arrangement with the associations on how many persons should be brought into the council, why would you set up an electoral body outside what is known in the Act?

“For your information, ANLCA has not withdrawn its court case against the CRFFN to the best of my knowledge and that of members of ANLCA, the decision for ANLCA to go to court was taken by National Executive Council (NEC) which is the highest decision making organ of the association. It is only the NEC meeting that can decide to withdraw the case, and to the best of my knowledge, NEC meeting has not decided.

“If per chance, the president, Tony Iju, that came on board is living up to the billing that he came on a CRFFN agenda, this is what I hear in rumour, if he is now fulfilling it, so be it, but as far as ANLCA is concerned, the NECOM is not competent to withdraw an action put in place by NEC. Taking up that precedent is very easy, but where it would lead, nobody knows.

“Have you ever heard that a candidate with one vote got elected? This is the level of indecency and infamy that has been brought into this profession, why would you call this an election? A situation whereby a candidate voted for himself and he won, is not an election” Elochukwu added.

He, therefore, advised the minister that the needful should be done in the CRFFN, saying that there should be a proper election and the CRFFN management should not be a part of the election.