The leadership crisis rocking the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has deepened, with the association’s current president, Ademola Adesokan, dismissing moves by former president, Ojo Ajanaku, to suspend him and members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) as illegal.

Adesokan, who was elected at the association’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos on January 20, 2026, maintained that Ajanaku’s tenure expired in November 2022 in accordance with NCAN’s 2007 Constitution, which stipulates a single three-year term.

In a statement backed by court documents and other evidence, Adesokan argued that Ajanaku lacks the legal standing to take disciplinary action against any member of the association.

“Ajanaku has no authority to expel me or suspend the BoT leadership. His tenure has long ended, and any such actions are invalid,” he said.

He further described the former president’s continued claim to leadership as unlawful and contrary to a subsisting court judgment delivered by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on November 9, 2019.

The judgment, in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/439/2016, directed the association to revert to its 2007 Constitution, and affirmed that Ajanaku’s tenure, alongside that of his executive council, ended in November 2022.

“You cannot override a court judgment with a press conference or meeting resolution. Authority in NCAN comes from law and structure, not claims,” Adesokan added, urging Ajanaku to respect the rule of law.

The dispute has also extended to the composition of the association’s Board of Trustees. Adesokan dismissed claims that the BoT had been expanded to 11 members, insisting that official records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) recognise only five trustees.

He listed the legally recognised trustees as Tunji Owoeye, Bode Omoyeni, Sonie Stevenson, Ade Adesida, and Tola Faseru, describing them as founding members of the association.

“The Board of Trustees of NCAN remains as duly constituted and recognised, and any attempt to suspend or replace trustees outside due legal process has no effect,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has waded into the dispute, warning that any action taken in violation of a subsisting court judgment could attract legal consequences.

In a letter dated April 1, 2026, the ministry stressed that all parties must adhere strictly to the court ruling and cautioned against continued claims to leadership by Ajanaku, describing such actions as inconsistent with the association’s legal framework.

The ministry warned that the persistence of the crisis could further destabilise the association and undermine lawful governance.

Adesokan also cautioned that the lingering leadership tussle could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s cashew industry, particularly in terms of investor confidence and farmer welfare.

“At a time when the cashew sector requires stability and coordinated policy engagement, actions that create parallel structures and confusion risk undermining investor confidence and farmer welfare,” he said.

Defending his leadership, Adesokan highlighted his experience in the cashew value chain, noting that his company, Annie Glidden Commodities Nigeria Limited, established in 2022 in Kwara State, has attracted investments and created jobs, especially for women.

He added that he holds multiple international certifications, including Halal, Kosher, and FSSC 22000, and emphasised the need for Nigeria to shift from exporting raw cashew to value addition in line with national industrial policy.

Reiterating his stance, Adesokan called on Ajanaku to respect the court ruling and desist from what he described as actions capable of undermining the association’s legal framework.

The crisis continues to raise concerns among stakeholders about stability in Nigeria’s cashew sector, a key component of the country’s agricultural export economy.