ANLCA Crisis: Mustapha Faction Sets To Conduct Parallel NEC Meeting, As “ANLCA 1” Expell Top Shots

By DAPO OLAWUNI

It is no longer news that the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has been fictionalised into two, due to the intractable crisis that engulfed the association since 2018.

The “ANLCA 1” as it is called these days, is led by its National President, Hon Tony Iju Nwabunike while “ANLCA 2” is led by the Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha.

At a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at Marriot Hotel in Ikeja Lagos on Wednesday, ANLCA announced suspension of its former President, Chief Ernest Elochukwu and his company; Nestello Gateways Group Nigeria Limited.

Others affected are Chief Dennis Okafor and his company, Denca Services, as well as Sir John Oforbike and his company. All the excelled members belonged to Taiwo Mustapha camp.

Meanwhile, top members of the ANLCA Western Zone, of which the BOT Chairman, Taiwo Mustapha controls a large chunk of it, have told our correspondent that the “ANLCA 2” would conduct its parallel NEC meeting and may even elect a parallel National President.

One of the big wigs in the Mustapha faction, told our correspondent on Wednesday immediately after wind of the expulsion of their members filtered in, that the board chairman, Taiwo Mustapha was trying to use legal and reasonable means to resolve the crisis, but this is being rebuffed by the Tony Iju faction.

“We are going to have our own NEC meeting, and we would reveal all the secrets that made the SIFAX Group boss, Taiwo Afolabi to be romancing with Tony Iju and his NECOM, everything would be made open very soon, all the things they are trying to cover up at his port terminal” the source stated under anonymity.

Speaking further, he said, there is no way this crisis would be resolved without a “give and take” situation, both parties must be ready to concede their position, Taiwo Mustapha has offered them the olive branch at various meetings, and even at last meeting we held at Liverpool area of Apapa, but immediately after that meeting Tony Iju reneged” he alleged.

The National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Mr Joe Sanni in his reaction to news of the expulsion of associations top guns said the expulsion cannot hold, describing the action as illegal.

Sanni said, “For all these unauthorized, illegitimate Interlopers going public to announce that “their” illegal NEC has expelled certain persons for anti-association activities without due diligence, smacks of gross irresponsibility and a violation of the fundamental human rights of those supposed to have been expelled, suspended or sacked, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is preposterous for any sane person to carry out such illegal acts without courting the ire of law abiding members of the association and the general public.

“Members affected and unaffected by the so called sack should view the current madness as one of the very many in the recent past, calculated to provoke the peace loving Western Zone members of ANLCA that have been under their heat for very many months now.
“Obviously, all the rubbish being done now or before, will lead them nowhere, as they have been acting illegally all the way”.

Meanwhile, the ANLCA National President, Tony Iju while speaking with journalists after the NEC meeting in Lagos yesterday said affected members were expelled for anti-association activities and for working against the interest of ANLCA.

He said it was a tough decision that was taken by the association. 42 members voted in support of the expulsion of Elochukwu and others, while only 7 members voted for their suspension.

Tony Iju said the decision by the NEC was transparent, and it is backed by the supreme ANLCA constitution and that it would be implemented to the letter.

The association under Tony Iju had on Tuesday also inaugurated its BOT executive members, reportedly headed by Chairman of Sifax Group, Dr Taiwo Afolabi.