By Godwin Oritse
Determined to enthrone true demo cratic principles in the conduct of its affairs, the body entrusted
by the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) with the conduct of its elections, Association Electoral Commission (ASECO), has written  to  the various area commands of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), requesting that the respective Controllers furnish it with “the authentic list of existing Customs agents licenses at your command”.

The ANLCA ASECO Chairman, Alhaji Inua Mohammed, who signed the letters, copies of which were sighted by Ships & Ports, explained that the existing licenses encompass 2008/2009, noting that it would enable the electoral body conduct credible forthcoming elections into various chapters of ANLCA.

Similarly, Mohammed has also  written the ANLCA Chapter Chairmen notifying them that “the picking of nomination forms for all the elective offices in their chapter will commence on Monday, 1st June 2009 and end on Monday, 15th June 2009”.

He stated: “All interested candidates are advised to contact the new ASECO Secretary, Mr. Ojini Lewis, at Room 39, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Complex Building, behind Conoil (former National) Filling Station, Tin-Can Island, Lagos

“Similarly, the revalidation of the membership list and registration of members will run simultaneously with nominations starting from Monday, 1st June 2009 and end on Monday, 15th June 2009.

“All chapter officials that will be charged with the registration and revalidations exercise are admonished to ensure a level playing ground for all while any complaint emanating from this exercise should be channeled to the ASECO Secretary and would be promptly addressed.

“However, this present ASECO will never condone any form of indiscipline or unruly behaviour from any member as that would attract an automatic disqualification either as a contestant or a voter.  Please conduct yourselves in an orderly manner.

“Even if it is only one candidate that picked up nomination form in any chapter, ASECO reserves the power to declare him duly elected”.

Meanwhile, all the 17 Chapter Chairmen of ANLCA have passed “a vote of confidence on the present Board of Trustees of ANLCA as led by Chief Henry Njoku”.

The vote of confidence came via a statement, the entire  17 Chapter Chairmen submitted that “any purported suspension of the Chairman or any member of the Board of Trustees is illegal, false and a calculated attempt to embarrass our Association”.