BY FRANCIS EZEM

More than eight years after the dissolution of the governing board of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding Practice in Nigeria CRFFN, apex regulator of freight forwarding practice in the country, a total of 15 new members were elected at the weekend in what stakeholders described as consensus candidates.

The council had following the expiration and subsequent dissolution of the board of the council been locked in several controversies occasioned by intrigues, accusation and counter accusations by members, a development that forestalled fresh elections into the board, thus making the Registrar of the council a sole administrator for more than six years.

The emergence of the 15 members was in line with the sharing formula agreement entered into by the five federating associations, which also led to the disqualification of independent candidates prior to the election to pave way for the success of the sharing formula, designed to create a balance in the embattled council, believed to be dominated by members of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA.

Details of the election results show that in the western zone, Chief Ifeanyi and Increase Uche both of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF, polled 114 and 102 votes, respectively while Chief Peter Obi and Chief Ozo Chukwura both of ANLCA polled nine and seven votes respectively while Kayode Farinto the incumbent vice president of ANLCA and Austin Kelly of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents NCMDLCA also had three votes each.

From the eastern zone, Eastern zone, Grace polled 53 votes, Tochukwu 47 votes, Bala one vote, Chief Henry Njoku, current chairman of the Board of Trustees of ANLCA polled eight votes.

From the Airport/Cargo zone, Timothy had 60 votes while Emmanuel Agubanze had 31 votes, Bakare 28 even as Azeez and Shittu polled one vote each.

Stakeholders are still apprehensive even with the successful and rancor-free conduct of the election over the expected emergence of the executive chairman of the council, as it is likely that none of the associations would want to shift grounds for the other, a development that might trigger another spate of crisis.

While reacting to the outcome of the election, founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, expressed satisfaction with the conduct, saying that due process was followed, thus making it free and fair.

On the election of the chairman, he however said that the only way out is for the Minister of Transport, Ho. Rotimi Amaechi to appoint the chairman, as NAGAFF would not accept anything less.

Meanwhile, Registrar of the CRFFN, Sir Jukwe, who also expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the election, said it a painstaking effort on the part of the council and its members of staff to organize such a hitch-free and fair election against all contrary expectations.

He expressed gratitude to the Minister of Transport and Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Barrister Hassan Bello for their support, saying that the various postponements and rescheduling of the election timetable have paid off at last.