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The much circulated news containing order of interim injunction, restraining President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Tony Iju Nwabunike, members of his National Executive Committee (NECOM), BoT Chairman Dr. Taiwo Afolabi and other members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) in the recent election conducted in Owerri has been dismissed as time barred by the Association.
The court injunction which purportedly sacked the newly elected BOT, Chaired by the SIFAX Group boss, Dr Taiwo Afolabi was said to be time barred because it was issued on March 25th, 2021 and its validity expired within the seven days of issuance.
According to the Vice President of the Association, Dr Kayode Farinto who also double as the Chairman of the National Disciplinary Committee of the Association, he hinted that Taiwo Mustapha -led BoT has since been declared illegal and illegitimate by the National Executive Council (NECOM) of ANLCA.
Farinto stated that none of the persons named as defendants in the kano court Injunction which restrained Afolabi-Taiwo- led BOT from acting,signing or writing letters and parading themselves as Trustees of ANLCA., has either served as a person or through the National Secretariat of the Association in Lagos or its Kano office.
He disclosed that there was no injunction in the first place because up till date , the Association has not been served, either at the National Secretariat or in Kano. Taiwo Mustapha) who got the purported injunction is not known to ANLCA as he is not a member of the Association.
He added that the injunction has expired since it was said to have been issued on March 25th, 2021, making it time barred after seven days, hence , has nothing to do with the Association.
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Farinto hinted further that Mustapha and all his cohorts who are fomenting trouble in ANLCA have all been suspended for anti- association activities by the National Disciplinary Committee and ceased to be members of the Association. The resolution of which they have been given.
In his words “The BOT led by Dr Taiwo Afolabi is intact, the decision to sack Mustapha and his men would not further plunge ANLCA into deeper crisis as people may think, the decision was taken in the best interest of the association and in order to keep the sanctity of ANLCA constitution which the sacked members have desecrated though their actions and deeds.
”The constitution of ANLCA is supreme and sacrosanct. If you must be a member of ANLCA, section 2 says the constitution is supreme.
”Another section of the constitution also says that when your acts, utterances and behaviour are seen to be anti-association, you can be punished.
”You can be asked to face disciplinary action which they have done.
”You will agree with me that all their utterances in the past few months shows they are not good association members” Farinto quipped.
He however added that the suspended members can go to court to challenge their suspension if they so desired.
”They can go to court if they so wish. The court will even ask them if they have exhausted the internal dispute resolution mechanism. Section 26 of the ANLCA constitution which talks about arbitration.
”We would not continue to tolerate illegality. You can’t just be going to court without going through the internal conflict resolution mechanism of the association which says that you must submit yourself to the arbitration panel” he said.
Meanwhile, the suspended members were listed to include Chief Taiye Oyeniye, former Secretary of the defunct BoT; Chief Taiwo Mustapha, a former board Chairman; Chief Dennis Okafor, Coordinator of ANLCA Western Zone, Chief Offorbike and Comrade Joe Sanni, National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA and Tope Akindele of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos chapter for anti- association activities.
