ANLCA Airport Saga: Emenike Condemns Police Interference, Insists Tope Akindele is Chairman
…Says there are Professional Trouble Makers in ANLCA
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Nwokeji Emenike has condemned the Lagos Police Commissioner’s interference in the ongoing leadership tussle at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) chapter of the association.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Association secretariat in Lagos on Wednesday, the ANLCA President insisted that Mr Tope Akindele remains the Chairman of ANLCA Airport chapter which was approved by the highest decision making body of the association; National Executive Council (NEC)
Nwokeoji vowed that Prince Adewusi Bamgbala, the former Chairman of the chapter, would be sanctioned in line with the constitution of ANLCA for gross disobedience and misconduct.
He described this act by Prince Bagmibala as an assault to the Association and to the office of the National President.
Addressing the crisis at the Airport chapter, the ANLCA President blamed the past administration for failing to abide by court verdicts regarding the chapter’s chairmanship.
He emphasized the sacrosanct nature of the association’s constitution and warned against resorting to police intervention to settle internal disputes.
Condemning the actions of the former airport chapter chairman, Adewusi Gbangbala, for refusing to vacate the chapter election seat despite a court order recognizing Temitope Akindele as the authentic chairman, Nwokeoji asserted that Akindele remains the authentic chairman known to the NECOM, threatening disciplinary action against Adewusi for insubordination to the office of the president.
The ANLCA President insisted that there is no crisis in ANLCA, but that there are some professional trouble makers in the association fanning embers of discord.
According to him, the Airport chapter has two cases in court and the most recent judgment is the one that made NECOM, decide to execute judgment by inaugurating new executives headed by Tope Akindele.
“This is gross insubordination that cannot be allowed to stand. We the leaders and members swore to uphold the tenets of the constitution. We just uphold a court injunction to elect people into power but resorting to the police to remain in power is not constitutional. Our constitution is sacrosanct and is clear on the sanctions to be taken against such act of insubordination. This will be done by the disciplinary committee”, he said.
He appealed to members of the association to remain calm with the assurance that the National Executive Committee (NECOM) is atop the matter and all will be resolved amicably.
“All is under control and we are using all legal means to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order.
The people causing crisis in ANLCA, we know them, they are not up to five in number”
According to Emenike, the executive have reached out to all the leadership of the association, including his opponent in the past Presidential election, but that some of them were dodging the peaceful overtures.
“You can’t win somebody in an election and expect that whatever you do, the person will clap for you. Even in contemporary politics, you still see people, up till today, some people were still attacking President Tinubu
Expressing dismay over the few members of the association who have resolved to create a crisis, Nwokeoji assured that the elected NECOM will uphold its integrity to bring about restoration.
Furthermore, Nwokeoji announced that the NECOM has received approval from the NEC to appoint sole administrators for chapters with factional chairman for a period not exceeding 90 days, after which elections into the Board of Trustees (BOT) will be conducted.