The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has described as very disappointing and unfortunate the electoral loss suffered by its National President, Chief Tony Iju Nwabunike in last Saturday’s National Assembly election held by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Recall that Nwabunike had contested for the House of Representatives seat for the Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency of Anambra State under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which he lost to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Chris Azubogu.
However, reacting to the development, the National Vice President of ANLCA, Dr. Kayode Farinto further described the loss as shocking to him and wondered why Nwabunike should not win the election in an ideal society.
While stating that Nigeria’s democracy was still very young, Farinto believed that the country would got it right one day where every vote in any election would count.
He said,” It was a very rude shock to me and that is part of the injustice that we are saying. In an ideal situation, I see no reason why Hon. Tony Iju will not make it but it is unfortunate. I know that our democracy is still very young; we will get there one day where we will have an ideal system where every vote will count. It is unfortunate, the man has actually labored but I know that the future is very good and I wish him all the best”.
On way forward for the ANLCA President now that the election was over, the National Vice President stated,” Let him come back to his home base and take charge of his mandate so that the various factions that we have in the association will be re-united. He is still the father of all; he can always bring them together so that we forge ahead”.
Reacting on insinuations in some quarter that he was the most disappointed in Iju’s electoral loss as he was getting ready to take over as President if he had won, Farinto said,” Everybody is entitled to his opinion; I just want to believe that it is those people who do not have business that will be insinuating this. I am not somebody who has inordinate ambition, even when the president was there, he had given me free hand, why should be disappointed? But I would have been happier if he had been elected because there are so many issues that he would have assisted us to solve at the National Assembly because he knows it, he is a grass root person.
“It is not about ANLCA, the issue on ground is beyond ANLCA but some people are parochial in their thinking, they don’t want to grow, those are the people thinking like that. Why should I be disappointed? I would have been happier if he had been elected because it would have taken ANLCA to a greater height. Even when I am in an acting capacity, I haven’t for one day sit down on his seat because I give respect to the person I know deserves respect.
“The president is welcome any time any day, he is our president, he has his mandate, my own is to assist him when he is not available. But what I did not allow them to do is to rubbish the constitution of ANLCA and I told them that I swore to uphold the supreme constitution of ANCLA. I am not a rubber stamp Vice president and now that the president was not around, I should be seen to be acting as the president and that has been their albatross.
“I am happy that he will come back to take back his mandate. President is somebody that consults; he does not take a unilateral decision, that is what they don’t know”.
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