Crisis looms in NISA as faction removes 3 members from association’s Whatsapp platform over congratulatory message to minister

Disagreements between members of Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISÀ) over its Exco Election held in April this year is fast degenerating into a major crisis as a faction of the association took over and removed three members from the association’s WhatsApp Platform for forwarding a congratulatory message of Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to the association’s WhatsApp Platform.

Grapevine reports that the faction who saw the congratulatory message forwarded to NISA WhatsApp Platform immediately removed the forwarder, Captain Kola Raheem, even as it was further disclosed that the two other members believed not to be members of their faction were also removed from the association WhatsApp Platform the following day; bringing to three the numbers said to have been removed from the only communication channel of the association.

A source close to NISÀ said, “Upon the announcement of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, maritime stakeholders started sending congratulatory messages to the appointed Minister. Capt Kola Raheem forwarded one of the messages from online media to NISA WhatsApp Platform.

“The admin of the NISÀ WhatsApp platform acting under the instruction of the Trustees and the newly constituted Exco immediately removed Capt Kola Raheem and two other members from the WhatsApp Platform.

“The members removed were taken aback and astonished, if any offence was committed for forwarding the congratulatory message of the Minister in charge of Maritime to NISA WhatsApp Platform, adding that the action is unconstitutional.

“The action taken by the faction is against the constitution of the association as there is no part of the constitution that gives absolute power to Exco or any member of Exco to remove, expel or dismiss any member of the association.”

It will be recalled that after the controversial Exco Election in April, some members dragged the Association Incorporated Trustees to Federal High Court challenging the alleged and purported illegal and kangaroo election in which some Exco were handpicked and foister Otunba Sola Adewumi and Otunba Rowaye Jubril as President and General Secretary respectively on the Association.

With the case still in court, stakeholders are saying neither the BoT nor the Exco purportedly put in place by a faction have authority to act in any capacity whatsoever.

With the reported removal of the three members over a congratulatory message to the Minister, it remains to be seen how far NISÀ, which is the stakeholder discussing the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) with the federal government will go.