ANLCA 2023: ‘Be Vigilant, Njoku And Farinto Still Plotting’ Oyinba Warns

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

A chieftain of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), and principal supporter of the Emenike Nwokeoji and Segun Oduntan (ENSO) Presidential Campaign Organisation (PCO), Barri. Raymond Oyinba has alerted that the duo Chief Henry Njoku and Dr. Kayode Farinto are still actively scheming to turn the table to ensure that Farinto emerge the president, by whatever means possible.

Oyinba therefore called on ANLCA members including other stakeholders particularly the Board of Trustees (BoT), the ENSO and PCO to remain vigilant and not to lose their guard, noting that the foiling of attempt to reinstall Njoku and his cohorts into the BoT earlier this week should not be sufficient reason to go to sleep.

“Let’s not celebrate yet because the adversary are still working and perfecting Plan B. They are working to strike again”, he warned.

Another chieftain of the association andENSO, who has loudly advocated regime change owing to the dismal failure of leadership since 2018, Chief Skido Okafor has continously urged members not to fall for the cheap propaganda of those who want to keep ANLCA under their legs and control.

It will be recalled that members of the association had Monday, frustrated attempts to reinvent a 2001 BoT through which they sought to illegally return Chief Henry Njoku, present Vice Chairman, Governing Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), his loyalist, Chief Peter Obi, his latest found bishop and envoy, Prince Taye Oyeniyi, and others back to the board through the back door.

The development is believed to have been the demonstration of the strongest, single possible mass action and the expression of mass disenchantment with the forces of discord which has promoted crisis upon crisis leading to the near total collapse of the once vibrant association by the present leadership which has latched onto power since 2018; without any achievement or value added to the association, its profession or to members.

During and after the failed NEC, voices for the first time were strident and unanimous in condemning the recurring enactment of the tenure extensions since 2021 of the alleged infamous administration through barefaced effrontery and executive rascality.

The failed coup was started by the embattled ANLCA acting National President, Dr. Kayode Farinto, when during his welcome address at the questionable NEC meeting  he hurriedly called with the support of his cohorts, faulted the Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha’s led BoT move to verify the licenses of ASECO members, saying such action was not supported by the constitution.

According to him, “The first reason for calling this NEC was a development where we read in the newspapers and online news that, the Board asked the current ASECO to submit their individual licenses for scrutiny which negates the constitution of our Association that stipulates that the Board shall nominate members of the ASECO which shall be ratified by the NEC. The development came just few weeks to the election proper and it calls for concern however l wish to reiterate that this is wrong no matter the good intention.”

Thereafter, he announced that his chief promoter, Chief Henry Njoku has through providence, been returned to lead the board, citing an antiquated, questionable 2001 registered BoT which confers authority on the said Njoku led led BoT to co-steer the NEC meeting, saying that the Mustapha led BoT stand defective and inapplicable owing to its purported withdrawal by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

To justify the coup, Farinto said, “In the cause of the crisis, Chief Elochukwu and others insisted and compelled the Nigerian Police to write to Corporate Affairs Commission to determine which the genuine board was. It will interest the NEC to know that the commission has written back that she has cancelled two certificates which were in contention and saying that Chief Henry Njoku and others are still the recognized board members.

“In view of this, we will be delighted and will want it to be on record as to which board will supervise the forthcoming NECOM election to forestall any litigation after the election”

But members who were obviously sick and fed up with the shenanigans of the Njoku, Farinto continual reinventions to sit tight in office,  including sympathizers of the Mustapha led registered BoT and the Emenike Nwokeoji and Segun Oduntan (ENSO) Campaign Team rose to the occasion as they vehemently resisted and rejected the proposal, following which the coupists hurriedly left the venue with their tails tucked between their legs, as members became extremely  agitated.

Although Chairman BoT, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha was believed to have twice advised its postponement until after the Sallah,  Farinto and his backers who reportedly were upbeat at using the controversial NEC meeting to achieve predetermined goals, ignored the board plea and insisted on holding the meeting.