By Bon Peters, Port Harcourt
The case instituted by an Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Chieftain, Chief Dennis Okwu of Sweet Apple Nigeria Ltd challenging his disenfranchisement to contest the recently conducted BoT election by the ANLCA ASECO, came up on 16/12/2024 at the Rivers State High court.
Speaking to select journalists who attended the proceedings, the highly excited Chief Dennis Okwu who came with a good number of lawyers to represent him, restated his determination to ensure that justice is done.
His words, “today marks the beginning of this journey to justice and equity.”
Okwu, who quoted Martin Luther Jnr said, “that injustice to anywhere is a threat to justice to everywhere.”
Insisting that “ANLCA belongs to all of us, no individual or group can pocket this great association. Am here with my Lawyers to seek redress for the injustice meted to me, and am confident that this court will grant my prayers”, Okwu submitted.
On his part, the lead counsel, Barrister Sam Ezems of Athena Chambers said “we are here in court today, though this case did not hold and the defendants are not in court, but the court in her wisdom has adjourned the case to the 14th of January 2025.” Adding, “We believe that on that day, all the parties involved in this case will definitely be present for the commencement of this matter.”
In August 2024, chief Dennis Okwu alleged a clandestine and orchestrated plan hatched by some people whom he described as a group of Nine Billionaires in the Association fighting tooth and nail to stop his aspiration to contest the last September 2024 ANLCA BoT Election.
Okwu had wondered why he would be schemed off the election after paying his mandatory N1.5 million expression of interest form.
He noted that, as all the efforts made to convince ASECO to allow him contest alongside others failed, he then approached Justice Wifa Adedibe of Rivers State High Court sitting at Moscow Road Port Harcourt to seek redress.
