ASIMPIN Spins Into Crisis

BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA

After a purported twelve years as the National President of the forum of the Association of Igbo Maritime Practitioners in Nigeria (ASIMPIN), Eze Damian Obianigwe is up against the tide as notable members of the association have asked him to respect himself and take walk, or be disgraced out of office.

The members who expressed dissatisfaction with his reported flimsy excuse  being lack of biometrics identity capture of members for the conduct of an election into the National Executive Committee in 12-years also accused him of bad leadership and lack of capacity to add value to the forum.

The agitators did not also spare the Forum’s Vice President, Prince Ozo Chukwura, who they accused of siding with Eze Obianigwe to sit tight in office.

A press statement issued on Monday and signed by the Chairman of the ASIMPIN Elders Forum, Chief Boniface Okoye and its Secretary, Chief Osita Patrick Chukwu, lamented that Obianigwe who was elected for a 2-years tenure has overstayed by twelve years, and urged him to take the honourable path and leave.

The statement reads “We the elders of the Igbo Maritime Forum of ASIMPIN are hereby writing to register our utter disgust at the state of our formerly revered Association.

“We choose Prince Ozo Chukwura about fourteen years ago as a well grounded maritime professional to help guide the president general in sheepherding this Association to greatness, but have all noted with displeasure, the seemingly unshakable bad support that he has accorded the president general, His Royal Majesty, Ambassador Damian Obianigwe who has not shown good leadership and has not added much value to the Association.

“It is also on record that Chief Obianigwe was voted to serve two year tenure, but has now spent almost fourteen years with illegal elongated twelve years to himself at the position.

“These have happened with the unflinching support of Prince Ozo Chukwura the deputy to the president general and all entreaties for him, to guide the president general and grant some good advice to him have not been heeded.

“We also want to state that the flimsy and illegitimate excuse of lack of biometrics capture by members for the conduct of an election is not tenable as it is unconstitutional as an indigenous association.

“We want you by this press release, to therefore make the right move towards having a free and fair election which we believe to take place with an efficient executive members’ to take over the mantle of leadership.”