The Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) National Disciplinary Committee, Dr Kayode Farinto Wednesday announced the suspension of Prince Taiye Oyeniyi of M/Mac Mary Nig. Limited, a former Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the association and three other former national officers of the association and a member of Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Chapter of the association over alleged acts of indiscipline against the association.
Dr Farinto who is also the Vice President of the association, disclosed this in a press briefing at the ANLCA headquarters in Lagos.
He said other chieftains of the association suspended for the alleged misconduct were; the Coordinator of the Western Zone Chapters of ANLCA, Chief Dennis Ofobike Okafor of Denca Services Limited; a former BoT member, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha of Pyramid Associates Limited; and Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Mr. Joe Sanni of Multimodal Logistics Services Limited.
Also suspended was Mr. Tope Akindele of the Airport Murital Muhammed International Airport Chapter of ANLCA.
Speaking, National Secretary, Alhaji Mukaila Abdulazeez said the suspended members have the right to appeal their suspension to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association if they are not comfortable with the decision while the chapter member suspended by the Chapter Disciplinary Committee can appeal his own case to the NECOM. Only the two bodies have the powers to sustain the suspension or upturn the decision if an appeal is made. “Until that is done, the suspended members remain suspended,” Alhaji Abdulazeez stated.
Explaining the rationale behind the suspension of the members, Dr. Farinto disclosed that the National President of the association on December 16, 2020 directed the committee to investigate alleged misconduct of some of the members of the association and committee which sat on December 21,202, January 15, 2021 and February 4, 2021 deliberated on the assignment.
According to him, some of the allegations against Joe Sanni for which he was not able to produce any tangible defence, were authorized publication, press releases and announcement as it concerns ANLCA.
Others were wrong and deliberate misrepresentation of Court Judgment, Ruling and Orders as it concerns ANLCA with the intention to ridicule the association and reduce it in the eyes of responsible members of the public, deliberate character assassination, use of abusive and derogatory words and moral mudslinging on the persons of the National President of ANLCA, NECOM members and other stakeholders of the Supreme Constitution of ANLCA.
Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha was accused of refusal to abide by Court Judgment in suit no FHC/L/CS/1274/2018 which confirmed that he is not a registered Trustee of the BoT of ANLCA much less the chairman of the BoT; appointment of parallel electoral officers with the intention of causing them to conduct a kangaroo election/selection for the Western Chapters; usurping the powers of the National President by acting as one by administering Oath of Office to those selected in the Kangaroo election. He was equally accused of filing court cases against ANLCA without taking advantage of arbitration contrary to the provision of the Supreme Constitution of ANLCA that recommended passing through arbitration before taking up litigation in law court in matters that concerns ANLCA.
On Chief Dennis Okofor (Ofobike), the ANLCA disciplinary committee chairman accused him of acting as a BoT member when his tenure has expired. He was equally accused of taking part in the alleged illegal selection and administering of Oath of Office to those selected.
Prince Taiye Oyeniyi was accused of taking the association to court, receive the summons on behalf of the association and went ahead to appoint Defence Counsel thereby making himself the Plaintiff and Defendant at the same time.
He equally accused of illegally collecting Form 48 and 49 on two occasions seeking to commute the National President and some NECOM members to prison, acting as a member of BoT when his tenure has expired thereby arrogating to himself powers he never had.
On the basis of those and other allegations, they four former national officers of the association were suspended. However, the act of indiscipline that the MMIA Chapter member was suspended was committed at the chapter.
