I AM THE DULY ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF ANLCA TINCAN CHAPTER — OJO PETERS AKINTOYE
BY Mcanthony ONUOHA
The Chairman of ANLCA, TinCan Chapter, Mr. Ojo Peter Akintoye (OPA), said he followed every required electoral process to emerge as duly elected Chairman of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ( ANLCA), TinCan Chapter, in the election conducted a couple of weeks ago by the National Executive of the Association.
Before his election, a faction of the Association, under the supervision of the embattled Chairman, Board of Trustees, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, had elected Alhaji Muhammed Mojeed, Chapter Chairman. An election which bystanders said, did not receive the blessings of the executive.
Answering questions fielded by journalists during a press conference in his Apapa office, Ojo, when asked if there was another Chairman of ANLCA at TinCan, said” l don’t know Muhammed Mojeed as TinCan Chapter Chairman of ANLCA; we are good friends, but Ojo Peters Akintoye is the duly elected Chairman of ANLCA, and the substantive Chair for the next four years. I don’t know anything about his election, l am not aware he was elected Chairman. Nobody, not even a group of individuals can make anyone chairman without following due process as provided by ANLCA constitution. There are electoral guidelines that are backed up by the constitution, and that is what we all follow in electing the president, the Board members, the chairmen, and members of national and Chapter executive, and whatever is provided in the constitution is binding on every member. Anything outside that is unacceptable and illegal”.
“And because l and members of the chapter executive followed due process, we can boldly say that we are duly mandated to pilot the affairs of the Chapter for the next four years.”
When asked why he was not occupying the TinCan Chapter Secretariat of the Association, being the substantial chairman of the Chapter, he said, ” Yes, there is no doubt that we have a kind of faction now, the misunderstanding we have in the Association triggered it. I want to inform you that the tenure of Prince Segun Odutan expired, and instead of bowing out honourably, they conspired and took the Association to Court, and before heading to court, he was issued query for gross misconduct of office, which answers were never provided. Rather than answering the query, he headed to court, and they used the Court case to delay elections that were supposed to usher in new chapter executive.”
” The leadership of the Association under Hon. Tony Iju Nwabunike , believe that the rule of law must prevail in anything they do. And when there was a court order to uphold the election; he obliged, and after that, they used that opportunity to also violate what they went to court to secure an injunction on.”
“And because Tony Iju is the father of the Association for now; and no father will allow his children to scatter, or allow them to die in his presence; he made every effort to reconcile members, but because of what l describe as desperation and arrogance, they backed off, and went ahead to commit the blunder they called election, and occupy the Secretariat at TinCan.”
“When we came on board, we were given a mandate to recover the office; but because we are grassroots and also believe in the tenets of the rule of law; so what is the need dragging what ordinarily , may result to fracas or even loss of life , what will l gain by doing that; that is why we resolved to pursue it legally so as to have it settled in the court of law. The office does not belong to Ojo Peter Akintoye, it belongs to ANLCA. It is here you met me that is my office; and since l was elected Chairman,l have been operating from here. I believe that in a very short while,the illegal occupants of the Secretariat will quit and the duly elected executive will take over.”
When asked whether ANLCA was factionalized, Ojo said,” l can not really say because we have one National President, and that is Hon. Iju Tony Nwabunike. If you ask those in the other divide who their National President is, they will unequivocally tell you, it is Iju Tony Nwabunike. But factionalized at the Chapter level ? Yes, l will say it is for now because of desperation. Sometimes l see some actions taken by some people as mischievous. To associate is an individual choice. If you feel that you don’t like or no longer feel comfortable with the happenings in the Association,you can resign your membership, it is not cast in stone. We have various associations, and you can apply to any of them for membership, rather you insist that you want to remain a member of ANLCA, while you keep violating its constitution and guidelines. I don’t think it is right. are you saying that the constitution of the Association is not binding on you as a member? So why do you stay put in the Association ? Constitution is for sanity and prosperity; without it, there will be no orderliness,no peace, no harmony, no prosperity, because anarchy will be the order of the day.”
“What caused the faction we are talking about ? BoT no BoT, it was dragged to an unimaginable dimension. Actually, when their tenure elapsed, some people honourably bowed out and bade good bye to the office, while some others said no, that the constitution is not binding on them. That after spending 12 years, they can still go ahead and have a third term as Board members, and we said no, the constitution never made such provision. The constitution says that one can only do 2 terms; so, why the 3rd term? And these people have been there for two terms, go to the National Secretariat at Amuwo Odofin, you will see the names of some of these people engraved on the marble as mark of honour, what else do they really want. But l want to assure you that ANLCA under the leadership of Hon. Tony Iju, will continue to do the right thing.”
” It is rediculous to hear that a Board of Trustees elected in 2014, did not perfect their registration with the CAC for good 6 years. They now went and did that in January 2020, and from that very date started clamouring for a fresh tenure; what a joke !”
At the Chapter level, and as TinCan Chapter Chairman, l and my executive will continue to speak in one voice. We shall maintain peace till the end of this distraction, which indeed is not far from now.”
On the expectation of his members at TinCan Chapter, the Chairman said,” By God’s grace, they should expect great performance, especially in the area of good business environment and welfare of members. If the environment is condusive for our people to work; every other thing will Fall in place. After our tenure, TinCan will not remain the same”, he assured.
Proudly MAJAN !
