ANLCA BOT Elections: B-9 Likeminds Insists ‘ANLCA Must Not Go Back to Egypt’

0

Members of the ANLCA BOT Likeminds: from left; Tunde Awonuga, Sir Ernest Elochukwu, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, Chief Dennis Okafor and Mr Dayo Azeez

By DAPO OLAWUNI

As the elections into the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is set to hold on Thursday 12th September 2024, the B-9 Likeminds on Tuesday hosted its supporters and campaign team members at a brief reception held in Lagos.

Present at the meeting were members of the B-9 including Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, Chief Dennis Okafor, Mr Dayo Azeez, Tunde Awonuga and Sir Ernest Elochukwu.
Also present at the meeting is the Patron of ANLCA, Prince Taiye Oyeniyi, as well as heads of various chapters of Western Zone of the association.

Speaking at the interactive meeting to access the work done so far, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha acknowledged that the period of campaign is now over, as stipulated by the election umpire; Association Electoral Committee (ASECO).

“We want to appreciate all of you for the job you have done so far, we have no doubt that you have handled your assignment creditable well, however, election is not won until when it is actually won”

According to him, returning ANLCA to the part of peace was one of the greatest achievement of the past board which was chaired by himself. He however highlighted the need to sustain the peace in the association by having a like-minded board working with the National Executive Committee (NECOM) to sustain the tempo.

“Coming back into board, we needed to be sure of whom we would work with, having studied the 14 individuals that picked form, we chose those that share the same peace ideals with us in order to sustain the achievements of the NECOM” he said

On his part, Sir Ernest Elochukwu thanked the supporters for creating the needed awareness towards the election.

Why explaining the main reason for the B-9 Likemind team, he said “I have received questions from those who want to pretend like they dont know what is at stake in ANLCA, I have received questions from people who genuinely want to know, especially in the Eastern Zone, asking what this Likeminds is all about. I said that bearing in mind where we were in the fight of the last six years in the affairs of this association, we would not want to consciously go back to Egypt, we would make every effort not to go back to Egypt

“When the association turned into a war zone, by the way, an association is supposed to be people coming together with one goal, generate Impetus to solve their challenges and achieve their goal.

“But along the line, we have left the idea of the association and started pushing what has become notoriously Nigerian, where the idea is divide and rule, and try to use general patrimony to satisfy personal end, at this point, we knew there was trouble, so, this is why we don’t want to go back there again”

Elochukwu recollected that his regime as ANLCA President introduced election of BOT in the association, adding that before now, it has always been by appointment, and those appointed were sometimes not members of the association.

“Sometimes we appointed people because they were big men, some of them were nor even aware they were appointed, some never showed up throughout their term. This is why we said anyone who want to be in the board must show interest and stand for elections”

He said that the last crisis in the association was not caused by the board, but that the NECOM took sides in an internal affair of the board to select its chairman.

On his part, the Patron of ANLCA, Prince Taiye Oyeniyi said ANLCA went from grace to grass during its leadership crisis of five years ago.

“Today is not for campaign, the 9 Likeminds have been X-rayed, we don’t want a board that if we need N10million we would be going to the bank to borrow. I remember what happened during our five year crisis, we went to court 39 times, police station 40 times, the money police has made on our crisis alone is more than 70 to 80million Naira from my records

“ANLCA has come back on track, and I don’t pray for the association to derail again. I want you to chose 9 out of the 14 candidates, so that by the time we need the powers that be, it would be present”

“I want to plead with you to vote from your mind and not from your head, at end of the day, posterity will not forgive us if we allow ANLCA to go back to Egypt. Put the 14 candidates in your prayers” Oyeniyi urged

“The 14 candidates are all my constituency, but what we are saying is that, pick 9 out of the 14, these 9 that would answer our call and project ANLCA to the highest height and paddle the canoe to the promise land” he added.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Share