Auctioneers Reject Impostors, Reaffirm Court – Backed Leadership

The caucus of state and zonal chairmen of the Nigeria Association of Auctioneers (NAA) has firmly rejected claims by a group of unknown impostors who recently declared themselves trustees of the Association, reaffirming that the leadership of President Alhaji Musa Kurra remains the only court-recognised executive of the NAA.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the caucus chairman, Alh. Garba Japan, condemned what he described as a charade staged by individuals lacking constitutional authority.

“We are the grassroots; we are the structure. We hereby dissociate ourselves completely from the so-called ‘Stakeholders’ Meeting’ held on 15 November. The event was nothing more than a gathering of impostors attempting to deceive the public.”

According to the caucus, the law is unambiguous about the legitimate leadership of the Association.

They cited the landmark judgment delivered on 20 July 2023 by the National Industrial Court in Suit No: NICN/BAU/02/2023, where Hon. Justice Mustapha Tijjani dissolved the former executives led by Alhaji Aliyu Kiliya, whose tenure had expired after ten years.

According to them, the Court further mandated that an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and national election be conducted on or before 31 October 2023.

The chairman noted: “In strict compliance with the Court Order, the Association held its AGM and National Election on 28 October 2023. Alhaji Musa Kurra emerged as the substantive National President, and the outcome of the election was duly reported to the Court.”

He added that any claims about planning an election for 2026 were baseless and contemptuous of the Court’s ruling. “You cannot schedule an election for a seat that is already legally occupied. Such actions amount to Contempt of Court,” he emphasised.

The caucus also criticised the emergence of an alleged Caretaker Committee, insisting that the Supreme Court had ruled that the Association’s constitution does not recognise such a structure.

“The Supreme Court judgment of 12 February 2025 is clear. Our Constitution does not recognise caretaker committees,” the Chairman said. “Yet, certain individuals such as Ms. Salamatu Abdullahi continue to parade themselves under that title, in open defiance of the Court.”

He accused these individuals of collaborating with certain officials in Federal Government agencies to facilitate questionable asset disposals that did not follow due process or remit revenue to government coffers.

“These impostors were compromised by officials within some MDAs. They participated in irregular asset disposals, and when President Kurra insisted on transparency, they turned around to undermine him,” he said.

The caucus also raised concerns about alleged unlawful tampering with the Association’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) file, which is currently under caveat, while passing a total vote of confidence in Alhaji Musa Kurra, affirming him as the only National President recognised by the Courts and by all zonal and state chapters.