Nweke Withdraws From CRFFN Governing Council Election

…Says Process Compromised

BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA

Erudite freight forwarder and former President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr . Eugene Nweke has withdrawn from the forthcoming governing council election of the Council for the Regulations of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), citing large scale compromise by state actors in charge of the electoral process.

Nweke said that in the absence of professional and ethical integrity, diligence and sticking to the rules guiding an elitist professional body like the CRFFN, the inevitable result can only be hogwash, alerting that the outcome of the election has been determined beforehand.

In a letter addressed to the Minister Of Transport through the Permanent Secretary, the former member of the governing council lamented that by virtue of official shenanigan so far exhibited by the ministry and its agency, the council election has since been turned  to a market union association election .

In the letter dated March 1st 2022, Nweke said based on intelligence report regards on the activities of the CRFFN elections on one hand and the collusion of some of the committee members on the other hand, it has become imperative for him to withdraw temporarily from the race.

“Honorable Minister Sir, it is in view of the above findings and for the sake of preserving one’s professional integrity, that I wish not to entangle myself in an election marred with fundamental flaws and falling short of professional modesty and credibility.

“On this note,  I hereby most humbly and temporarily withdraw from the electoral contest for  the CRFFN Governing Council Membership Election 2022, pending such a time a credible professional regulatory governing council election will be contemplated for the advancement of freight forwarding profession in Nigeria.”

A copy of the statement made available to Pinnacle Time reads in part:

“After collating intelligent reports with regards to the activities of the CRFFN GOVERNIING COUNCIL ELECTION COMMITTEE on one hand and the collusion of some of the committee members on the other hand, it becomes obvious that:

“A supposedly professional regulatory council election has since been turned  to a market union association election.

” Professional integrity and future advancement of the profession is on the bleak, because the electioneering process that is expected to add value towards professional integrity and development has been mortgaged on the altar of compromises for material benefits.”

The respected freight forwarder explained that “with what’s on ground, the result of the election has been decided.”

Condemning what he described as a ploy to cause confusion through sponsored diversionary press statements, ostensibly devised to divert attention from the ugly collusion, Nweke challenged the supervising ministry of transportation to challenge itself to deliver a credible council election.

“I insist that professional integrity, diligence and standard should be a watch word, but, with series of subtle threats and unwholesome plotting against me, may I unequivocally posit again that, if purposeful and selfless service is our pursuit in this election, to serve in the CRFFN governing council is not a do or die affair.

“So far, I  thank you for your attempt to discharge your leadership obligations,  by giving direction of essential character to the CRFFN management when it matters most, especially on your insistence for the rule of law to prevail in the Governing Council Election.”

According to Nweke, he attached in the minister’s letter, written material evidences of the alleged electoral charade for his attention.

The CRFFN has fixed 8th of March for accreditation and screening of candidates ahead of the election across Abuja , Lagos and Port Harcourt. It will be recalled that the council through the federal ministry of transportation, recently approved participation of independent candidates against the earlier agreed associations for the forthcoming elections.

Analysts say the latest development is about the worst move so far undertaken by the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.

According to experts, it is not only illegal but an evidence of barefaced personality fraud, an anathema by every definition of the word, and a demonstration of executive rascality driven only be narrow minds, which finds nothing wrong in supplanting professionalism and the development of the collective good with the butt of crass governance system.

They believe that with what the minister has approved, he is indirectly sowing the seed of chaos in the future, such that non professional members can take part in the elections of professional bodies like Nigerian bar Association (NBA), the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), etc.