Freight Monitor

NAGAFF raises alarm over attempt by ‘moneybags’ to hijack CRFFN elections

Boniface Aniebonam, NAGAFF Founder

—-accuses them of registering mercenaries to rig elections

Eyewitness reporter

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has raised the alarm over alleged recruitment and registration of mercenaries by people it described as “money bags” as freight forwarders to rig the October elections into the governing board of Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

In a petition signed by the General Secretary of the association, Mr Dipo Olayoku and sent to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, NAGAFF said that this formed part of many abnormalities that may impede free and fair elections into the council.

In the petition, obtained by our correspondent, the group also claimed that the short time frame for the elections is another danger signal that may not allow credible candidates to emerge from the exercise.

It, therefore, suggested three- months time frame to enable the candidates to have proper preparation for the conduct of the elections.

“The extension will enable a joint stakeholders meeting involving the Electoral Committee and other critical participants in the CRFFN family, especially the five registered associations to cross-fertilize ideas on how to fine-tune the process for the CRFFN Governing Board’s election for a better result”

Rotimi Amaechi

Speaking on the venue for the elections, NAGAFF advised the Minister, who is also the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, to take a second look and reconsider that the election is moved to Lagos for obvious security reasons, the strength of the population of Lagos-based stakeholders, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While we appreciate the powers of the Committee to fix date and venue for elections, we are however compelled to suggest that the election be moved to Lagos for obvious reasons.

” It is on record that about 85% of cargo clearance is carried out in the Western Ports. In other words, the bulk of freight forwarders are domiciled in South-Western Nigeria.

“The consequences of moving this huge number of people to Abuja might be too enormous on the infrastructural facilities of the country as well as the safety and security of the voters.

“We are making this suggestion in the face of the deplorable state of the roads and the security situation in the country.

” While praising the efforts of Government and security agents in bringing the situation under control, we believe Nigerians should reduce the rate of exposing themselves to danger, especially long travels on the highways. We are also conscious of the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic”

The association however suggested that any fresh registration after the announcement of the Guidelines for the election is barred from voting.

“This will ensure that only Freight Forwarders are eligible to vote in this election. Again, we make reference to INEC and elections.

“Registration to vote in an election has a time limit and no registration is allowed after a certain time for a particular election”

NAGAFF also drew the attention of the Minister to some technical challenges faced by freight forwarders in the ongoing validation of membership status stating that this can hamper a free, fair, and credible election.

“We have received tons of complaints about the discrepancies in the membership list. In essence, those members who have registered under the Individual category are being placed under Executive, a situation CRFFN officials blame on their Portal.

” What that means is that something is wrong with the system and this brings to question the credibility of the data generated by such computer.

“All these issues might take some time to resolve, to engender free, fair and credible election”

It could be recalled that NAGAFF has lined up 10 members to vie for the council elections, vowing to grab 10 seats from the 15 seats allotted to freight forwarders in the 32- member governing board.

Freight Monitor

ANLCA postpones NECOM election to July 5th as ASECO releases fresh guidelines

Nze Aloysius Emeka Igwe, ASECO Chairman, ANLCA

Following the death of the erstwhile chairman of the Association Electoral Commission(ASECO) of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents( ANLCA), Mr. Alloy Anukwuru, who died in April 2023, the new Chairman of the electoral body has released a fresh guideline for the much-anticipated election.

In the new electoral timetable released by the new chairman of the eight-man electoral committee, Nze Aloysius Emeka Igwe, whose appointment by the board of the association sequel to the death of Anokwuru, was announced about a week ago, the ANLCA NECOM election will now hold on July 5th, 2023.

This is about less than a two-month extension from the original date of May 25th, 2023 as earlier announced by the electoral body when it was headed by late Anukwuru.

According to the new electoral guideline signed by the new Chairman of ASECO, Emeka Igwe and Alhaji Mustapha Yakubu, the ASECO Secretary, there will be registration of voters at the Western Zone(National Headquarters), Eastern Zone(Onne) and Northern Zone(Abuja) from May 17th -June 2nd, 2023.

Also, the sales of nomination form/letter of intent closes on May 26th, 2023 while the final submission of the original nomination form is slated for between May 26th- 30th, 2023.

Electoral petitions by aggrieved members or participants will be entertained from June 2nd-9th, 2023 while the publication of the aspirants/first provision voters list will be between June 5th -9th, 2023.

The verification and the screening of original documents of voters in the Western Zone hold between June 12th-15th, 2023 while the verification and screening of licenses of voters in the Eastern Zone takes place June 19th -21st, 2023 and that of the Northern Zone takes place between June 22rd-23rd, 2023.

The screening of the aspirants is slated for July 3rd, 2023 while the publication of the final voters and candidate list will also be done on July 3rd, 2023.

The proper election and declaration of results by the returning officer holds on July 5th, 2023, thus ushering in the new executives that will pilot the affairs of the battle-weary ANLCA for a single term of five years.

Freight Monitor

Aftermath of Anokwuru’s death: ANLCA appoints Alloy Igwe as new ASECO chairman

The eyewitness reporter

A few weeks after the death of Alloy Anokwuru, the erstwhile Chairman of the Associations Electoral Committee (ASECO) of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA)who died in April, the association has appointed Alloy Chukwuemeka Igwe as a new chairman of ASECO.

Unveiling the new chairman at the National Secretariat of the association, Kayode Farinto, the Acting National President of ANLCA, charged the new chairman to leave above board.

“Don’t collect bribes in your new assignment. You may be blackmailed but you should remain steadfast” he charged the new ASECO chairman.

Farinto disclosed that the appointment of the new electoral body was made and ratified at a combined meeting of the association’s NECOM and BOT, last week Saturday.

“There shouldn’t be a vacuum and that was the reason this appointment had to be made.

While eulogizing the former ASECO chairman, Farinto said the association was equally confident in the ability of the new chairman who has an impeccable pedigree in the association.

He said there was a new dawn in ANLCA as never again will unlicensed members be allowed to lord it over the licensed members.

“If the election is successful, it will herald a rebirth of the association and its lost glory will return” Farinto declared.

He, therefore, charged the new chairman and the electoral committee to sanitize the electoral process in the association for the betterment of the group.

He also admonished ANLCA members to remain united and resolute in the current efforts to rebuild the association.

The board also appointed Mr Sanusi Adebayo Suleiman from the MMA chapter as the eighth member of ASECO.

Mr Aloy Igwe and Suleiman were later sworn in by the Acting National President of ANLCA.

The new chairman promised to deliver on his mandate and expressed gratitude to the association for his appointment.

He however said the old timetable of the NECOM election will have to be amended to reflect the new realities on the ground.

The timetable for the NECOM election drawn by the ASECO before Aloy Anokwuru died shows that the election is supposed to hold May, 25th 2023.

It still remains to be seen if the little disruption caused by the death of the former Chairman will affect the date or not.

Freight Monitor

ANLCA holds NECOM elections May 25th as ASECO releases guidelines

The eyewitness reporter

The much-anticipated elections into the National Executive Council of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) holds on May 25th, 2023.

According to the election timetable released by the Association Electoral Commission(ASECO), a copy of which was sighted by our reporter, the notice of election has been published on April 11, 2023, while the registrations of voters will be conducted by ASECO at the ANLCA national secretariat from April 12th to 28th, 2023.

The guideline, dated April 11th, 2023, also revealed that the electoral committee will entertain letters of intent from interested contestants from April 12th- April 28th, 2023.

Also, nomination forms with elections guidelines will be on sale from April 12th- April 19th, 2023 while the final submission of the original nomination forms and other requirements by aspirants will be on the 27th of April 2023.

Furthermore, the screening of aspirants will take place from May 2nd-May 9th, 2023 while election petitions will be entertained May 10th -18th, 2023.

Also, a provisional list of voters and candidates will be published on May 19th, 2023 while there will be a joint ASECO/BOT/NECOM meeting on May 22nd, 2023 to consider and resolve election petitions.

The final voters and candidates list will be published on May 23rd, 2023.

May 25th, 2023, will be the D-day when the elections will hold and the results declared by the returning officer.

Following the consummation of the peace pact between the two warring parties in ANLCA which ushered in an era of peace in the association that was on the boil for five years, a seven-member electoral body called ASECO, headed by Mr. Alloy Anukwuru, was inaugurated to conduct elections into the association’s NECOM.