By Raphael Atuu, Abuja

The President of Nigeria Association of Auctioneers, Alhaji Aliyu Kiliya has said that the law respects the auctioning business in Nigeria.Kiliya stated this while chatting with DAILY ASSET Correspondent in his office recently in Abuja. The President pointed out that as a body which deals with sensitive materials, it was important that it was backed by law which has made it perform better and within the law so as nobody is misled.

”I have approached Bayero university to start a programme on educating auctioneers in Hausa Yoruba Igbo and English languages and I was told to bring a curriculum ” a move the president said will help educate and expose most Auctioneers. Kiliya added that he has spent fifty years in the auctioneering business having started in 1974 and has risen from local operations to national level.The National President disclosed that he was Zamfara state chairman of the association and also zonal chairman north West for two terms before being voted in as president of the body.”I have run my first tenure, got re-elected for a second term, a proof that I am leading with the rules and regulations”.The former staff of defunct north Western and Sokoto states of Nigeria, who served as secretary of board of service, from 1974 to 1991, added that he has contributed a lot to the industry and still has a lot to add but alleged that the trustee of the association was misleading some members.“We had a case and went to court, I won, at both high and appeal courts, and we are at the Supreme Court waiting for ruling.He maintained that the body had an issue which two trustees called for an extraordinary meeting, saying that it was wrong and not in “Our constitution, it is only the president that has powers to do that.On some of his achievements as president of the body, the president said he stopped forged registration of fake members, by bringing “My personal money to print forms for our members, I also recovered some government properties by the assistance of inter policies as a president, I have assisted privatisation of power holding, and let the government to know that non-core assets were for government and we made one billion from the sells government retrieved, we also wrote to the then president Buhari to auction government assets in 2017,2018 and 2019 to support the 2019 budget, among other things”.Kiliya urged the public not to work with the wrong people who parade as auctioneers. “We have pushed for a bill at the national assembly to regulate our work and anybody who does not know the rules will mislead the people, we are guided by section 55, 57 and 57 of public procurement act 2007 2009.The elder statesman said the Nigeria Association of Auctioneers is ruled by its constitution and stressed that an appointed member cannot dissolve an elected executive which is democratic and is funny ,when someone is talking about a caretaker committee, there is nothing like caretaker in our constitution,”We have to call an annual general meeting and invite all the thirty six state chairmen and FCT for any decision to be taken”.He stressed that the people opposing him only wants to take glory of what “I have done and equally destroy our good works”, adding that there is difference between auctioning and teaching, this is a practical work you need to know how to do and matters are followed correctly with serious follow up and guided by professional practice. Not even lawyers and receivers can’t auction properties because they are partners in progress, so the operation is strictly for experienced practitioners who are registered.Kiliya who was also the secretary of ad-hoc committee on sized assets disposal during the military era of general Muhammadu Buhari said he appreciate professor Danwanka of the National democratic institute of legislative studies for his effort to make sure the bill is moved at national assembly, the president maintained the professor of law is a nice asset to the association which cannot be under emphasize.He called on retired public servants to come join the association to serve their father land and still have business to do rather than sitting idle.