Sacked AFAN President Heads to Supreme Court Amid Leadership Crisis

The leadership crisis rocking the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has taken a new turn as the sacked president, Kabir Ibrahim, announced plans to challenge his removal at the Supreme Court.

This follows the recent judgment by the Court of Appeal, which upheld an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court affirming Farouk Mudi as the authentic president of the association.

The appellate court dismissed Ibrahim’s appeal, backing the decision of retired Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who ruled that Kabir Ibrahim’s five-year tenure, which began on June 14, 2014, ended in 2019, in accordance with AFAN’s constitution. The court further stated that Ibrahim could no longer lay claim to the presidency of the association.

The legal tussle began after Ibrahim contested the legitimacy of Mudi’s emergence as president, following a general election held by AFAN’s General Assembly in Kano on April 10, 2021.

In its ruling, the High Court ordered Ibrahim to hand over all AFAN property and assets in his possession to Farouk Mudi. It also barred him and his dissolved executive council from parading themselves as officials of the association.

As Ibrahim prepares to take his case to the Supreme Court, tensions remain high within the farming community. Many observers fear the prolonged dispute could further destabilize the association and potentially worsen Nigeria’s already fragile food security situation.

Stakeholders are now urging both parties to prioritize the interest of farmers and the nation by seeking peaceful resolution to the crisis.