EXCLUSIVE: Crisis Hits CIOTA Over Leadership Tussle, As Jamoh Set To Allegedly Impose Ex- NIMASA Boss On Members

By Roland Ekama

 

Crisis is currently brewing at the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA) Nigeria over leadership tussle as moves are allegedly ongoing by the incumbent National President ,Dr. Bashir Jamoh to replace Ade Dosunmu as preferred successor .

 

Ade Dosunmu a former Director General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA,  joined CIOTA barely a year ago it was learnt.

 

DAILY FOCUS Nigeria gathered that a certain Sunday Abayabo was the sole candidate vying for the enviable spot before the alleged manipulation by the current D-G of NIMASA to suspend the electoral process.

 

Jamoh is expected to vacate the post before the end of November 2022, after been elected in 2018.

 

Insider sources told our correspondent that the preferred candidate by the incumbent is not qualified in anyway to contest the topmost position of CIOTA, even as it was alleged that Dr. Jamoh has been insisting that the former NIMASA boss should take over from him.

 

According to multiple sources, Dosunmu was conferred with an honourary fellow just last year which also negates the constitutional provision of CIOTA Nigeria for him to contest.

 

They fumed by alleging that Dosunmu is not a financial member of CIOTA and has been inactive since becoming a member of the Institute , alleging that Dosunmu was an honourary fellow member of the Institute without any form of dues  payment.

 

The insider sources said the former NIMASA boss was disqualified for failing the necessary condition ahead of the election but the powers that be suspended the electoral process.

 

One of them alleged that “Jamoh is trying to impose Dosunmu being his former boss on us”

 

“Because along the line Jamoh brought somebody to contest the presidential post. The electoral panel checked all his record and despite the fact that he is an honourary fellow, he did not even honour it or follow it up. He has never been inducted, no payment as a member and the panel looked at these and disqualified him.”

 

“NEC however, declared that the election be suspended,” an aggrieved member of CIOTA allegedly fumed.

 

Meanwhile, in a statement sighted by our correspondent over weekend and signed by the D.G NIMASA and President/Chairman of Council , Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh and Hon. Chinda Evans Ogbuji, National Secretary respectively, dated Saturday, 1st October, 2022 with sub heading “CIOTA 2022 ELECTION IMBROGLIO AND THE NEC DECISIONS ” approved that immediate suspension of the electoral process.

 

The document signed by the duo further revealed that ahead of the election all aspirants must; sign “undertakings” barring any of them from going to court or joining in any litigation against the Institute, especially on the outcome of the election.

 

According to the document, the National Executive Committee is under oath to serving the Institute selflessly thus not allowing anybody or organ of the Institute to bring disrepute and decrement to the gains the Institute has made so far.

 

The statement added that all grieved candidates should be addressed to the Institute Disciplinary Committee and any contestant who did not sign shall not be screened and shall be considered unqualified.

 

The statement reads , thus :”The Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA) formally known as the Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (IOTA) was first incorporated in Nigeria in September, 1986 under the Land Perpetual Succession Act Cap 98.

 

“IOTA as formally called became chartered under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in May 2019 under Act No. 27 of 2019. For 33 years of its existence and leadership, the IOTA amidst intra/domestic hiccups, progressed internally. Great thanks to His Royal Majesty Oba R.I Balogun, Chief Lucky Eze Onumaegbu, Mr. Lucky Amiwero; Professor I C Ogwude (elected Presidents and Excos) and Prince G.O Don-Aki (appointed S ole Administrator).

 

“Great light beamed into the Institute under the leadership of Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh OFR. After his election in November 2018, he took the bull by the horn by working assiduously with few committed members and got the Institute Chartered in May 2019. Not resting on his oars, Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR having being ratified according to the provisions of paragraph 2 subparagraphs 3 of Schedule Three of the enabling Act; transited automatically with Mr. Darlington Ofor as President and Deputy President respectively and was inaugurated together with the National Elected Executives and other appointed members of the Council.

 

“The above event launched the Institute (CIOTA) to a National Prominence and birthed the Annual National Transport Summit; a one-stop event which attracts policy makers, captains of industry, academicians, opinion leaders and general transport community. Accordingly, CIOTA has continued to enjoy national prominence and recognition which had eluded her in the past, courtesy of Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR led National Executive of the Institute.

 

“The Secretariat of the Institute is now buoyant with heaves of activities and as well enjoys government and stakeholders’ patronage more than ever before owing to the visionary leadership of present Exco under the leadership of Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR. The evidence abounds in the number of quality members that have joined the Institute since after the Charter Status.

 

“The above brief is to acquaint our new members of the journey so far, while also bringing to the remembrance of our beloved old members. A time such as now that a lot of us are pressured by our various routines, challenges, etcetera. This will indeed serve as a veritable meal as we engage forward to a more better and prosperous CIOTA.

 

“ELECTION AND TRANSITION

 

“In our strict obedience and adherence to the  Constitution and Extant Rules of CIOTA in accordance with the establishment Act, it must be noted that the present National Executive Committee whose tenure will elapse by the end of 2022 were elected/inaugurated in the year 2020 pursuance to section 5; and Paragraph 1, subparagraph 1 of the establishment Act and Article 19 and 22 of the Constitution of the Institute. It is in the light of the above that the Dr. Jamoh led National Executive appointed an Adhoc Committee (Electoral Panel) to conduct elections to fill in executive positions that will be vacant by the end of the year 2022 in compliance with the provisions of the establishment Act and the Constitution of the Institute. The CIOTA Act is Non Sentimental! Non Emotional neither practices Favoritism.

 

“ELECTION TIME TABLE, GUIDELINES AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

 

” In compliance and fulfilling this mandate, the Electoral Committee on 31st

August, 2022 officially kick-started their activities by publishing the Election Time Table, Guidelines and Eligibility Criteria. The Published guidelines drew uproars and generated negative reactions from well meaning and concerned members of the Institute. Some grey areas spotted therein are;

 

“1.         Omission of some key elective positions like; National Auditor, National Provost and Assistant National Secretary

“2.         Imposition of Mandatory Payment for the purchase of the Nomination Forms by interested contestants without a formal approval.

“3.         One Week duration for the purchase and submission of Nomination Forms, instead of five (5) weeks to the election as stipulated in paragraph 8(c) of First Schedule of CIOTA Act 2019.

“4.         Non-full disclosure of constitutional provisions on eligibility criteria to appropriately guide interested aspirants and prospective voters, especially as stipulated in Paragraph 9(a-c) of First Schedule.

“The National Executive Committee on noticing these complaints and cries from members, and in order to ensure that due process are followed and the that no aspirants were treated unjustly; swiftly moved to assuage the confidence of members by convening a joint meeting between the NEC and Electoral Committee.

“The meeting was held on Saturday 10th September, 2022 and chaired by the Deputy President at the instance of the President/Chairman of Council. After extensive deliberations, the meeting saw reasons with the cries and complaints of the members, especially as some of the published guidelines contravenes and in total disregards to the provisions of the establishment Act and the Constitution of the Institute on election matters.

“The Electoral panel having observed that they erred, innocently suggested that the nomination fees be sustained which according to them, would be used to shore up revenue for the Institute and even as the funds would help the Committee to execute its function very well.

“On the purchase and submission of Nomination Forms, Barr Osuala Nwagbara emphasized that in accordance with the provisions of the enabling Act, submission of nominations forms would elapsed 5weeks prior to the election instead of 31st August 2022 as earlier published by the electoral panel. Consequent to the foregoing, the meeting resolved as follows;

“a.         That the nomination fee be reduced to N50,000 for Presidential nominations and N20,000 for other category of nominations as against the sum of N100,000; N75,000 and N50,000 earlier published.

“b.         That all vacant elective positions should be included and re-advertised in accordance with Section 5(2) (a-f) of the establishment Act, and

Article 19 and 22 of the Constitution

“c.          That the provisions of Paragraph 9(a-c) of First Schedule and Section 6(1) of the enabling Act on the eligibility criteria for the election of the President, Deputy President and other elective positions be strictly adhered and complied to accordingly.

“d.         That submission of Nomination Forms is open to five (5) weeks to the

General Meeting for election (i.e, September, 24th 2022) in compliance to the provisions of paragraph 8(c) of First Schedule of the enabling Act, 2019.

 

“Pursuance to the above resolutions, the NEC was surprised to observe that the Revised Time-table and Guidelines as published by the Secretary of the Electoral Committee on 10th September, 2022 only allocated an additional 7days duration for the submission of nomination forms which ends on 17th September, 2022 without recourse to the provisions of paragraph 8(c) of First Schedule of CIOTA enabling Act, which stipulates that submission of Nomination Forms elapses 5weeks prior to the election (i.e, September, 24th 2022), and as resolved at the end of the joint meeting. Though, the NEC observed this with dismay, however, allowed the process to thrive.

 

“PUBLICATION OF SELECTED CANDIDATES

“On Sunday, the 25th of September, 2022, the Electoral Committee published the names of the candidates they selected for the election.

“This was cheering news to NEC until members started petitioning the EXCO on perceived gross anomalies and breach of extant rules on including threats from certain quarters. The above situation compelled the National Executive Committee to convene an emergency meeting on Thursday, 29th September, 2022 to deliberate on the perceived gross anomalies and Constitutional breach as alleged by some members. On the foregoing, the two senior staff of the Secretariat were equally invited by the NEC to know their involvement in the election process and why the electoral panel undermined the Council’s authority by going public with its decisions (twice) without recourse to the established Extant Laws of the Institute as enshrined in paragraph 6, subparagraph 3 of First Schedule of the CIOTA establishment Act 2019.

“In a swift response, the Registrar stated that he was called upon by the Electoral Committee to furnish them with the information on the aspirants with a directive that it should be treated confidentially. The Registrar further stated that he attended to the request, and as well dispatched his findings to the Committee accordingly.

“On the same vein, the Admin manager when asked responded that he was not aware of any such request regarding the aspirants’ status. On further enquiry why the Registrar did not consult the President / National Executive Committee for further information before reverting to the electoral committee; he maintained that there was an instruction from the Electoral Committee that it should be treated confidentially.

“Not satisfied with the above seeming usurpation of powers / gross violation of the provisions of paragraph 6, sub-paragraph 3 of the First Schedule of the enabling Act (with special notice on the powers of the Committee), the National Executive Committee through the President /Chairman of Council expressed shock over the brazen negligence of the Electoral Eligibility Status as enshrined in Paragraph 9(a-c) of First Schedule, and condemned the inability or refusal of the Electoral Ad-hoc Committee to screen aspirants who have applied for their respective positions of interest pursuant to item No. 2 of the published electoral time table.

 

“THE RESOLUTIONS

“In order to have a hitch free transition and in accordance to provisions of paragraph 6, sub-paragraph 3 of the First Schedule of establishment Act, the President / Chairman of Council and members of the National Executive Committee hereby resolved and approved the IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS and directs as follows;

“1.         That the Electoral Committee complies strictly with the Institute’s Electoral law as contained in the CIOTA establishment Act.

“2.         The Electoral Committee to hold a physical or Visual Screening for the aspirants as earlier published in the Election Time-table, especially for those who are new in the race.

“3.         That in further publications of its decisions, the Electoral Committee should seek the endorsement of the Council pursuant to paragraph 3, sub-paragraph 3 of the Act of First Schedule; and reference (cite) the relevant provisions of the Act and the Constitution in tandem with their decisions.

“4.         That understanding the enormity of the assignment before the Committee, the Panel should ensure that its decisions are in accordance with extant rules and the Constitution of the Institute, and should not allow itself to be coerced into setting a bad precedence or doing anything that would bring the Institute to disrepute either now or in the future.

‘5.          The National Executive Committee is under oath to serving the Institute selflessly as well as not allowing anybody or organ of the Institute to bring disrepute and decrement to the gains the Institute has made so far. Hence, all aspirants must;

“a)         Sign “undertakings” barring any of them from going to Court, joining in any litigation against the Institute, especially on the outcome of the election. All grievances should be addressed to the Institute Disciplinary Committee/.

‘b)          Sign to accept the outcome of the elections irrespective of who wins or losses.

‘c)          Sign to conform and adhere to the provisions of the establishment Act and the Constitution of the Institute (CIOTA).

‘d)          Any contestant who did not sign shall not be screened and shall be considered unqualified.

“6.         The National Executive Committee would work out the modalities of shall have the Forms made available to the National Secretariat where interested aspirants can easily access and sign as instituted.

‘7.          Conclusively, the National Executive Committee thanked the Electoral committee members, all CIOTA members especially those who aired out their minds on perceived issues. The NEC reiterated their committed to having a very transparent election and transition to the satisfaction of members and stakeholders. ”the statement stressed.

Attempt to speak with the Registrar of CIOTA proved abortive as the calls were unreturned.

However, it was gathered that Abayabo who  was the initial sole candidate ahead of the electoral process was a boni fide fellow of CIOTA.

CIOTA has a  pedigree of  leadership tussle since it’s establishment .