Ajanaku Remains Our Legitimate National President – Cashew Farmers

National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has reaffirmed Dr Ojo Joseph Ajanaku as its duly elected and authentic national president, dismissing claims by what it described as an unknown group parading itself as an interim executive of the association.

In a statement issued in Abuja jointly signed by Ajanaku, NCAN Board of Trustees (BoT) secretary, Abraham Adeshida, NCAN executive secretary Edieme Augustine Unekwuojo, and BoT chairman, Sunday Uzoechi Iroezindu, the association said the recent claims were a deliberate attempt to derail the progress of Nigeria’s cashew industry.

The group had alleged that NCAN elections were not conducted and further claimed that Dr Ajanaku was arrested by the police. NCAN, however, described the allegations as false and baseless, insisting that the police only invited its president to clarify issues raised in a petition.

According to the association, its national elections were held on November 23, 2024, at the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN) headquarters in Abuja, during which Dr Ajanaku was duly elected and sworn in by the Board of Trustees.

On the dispute surrounding the cashew industry’s development roadmap, NCAN clarified that it had not rejected the document, but only called for a review since it was prepared by an international development partner.

The association said the review was agreed upon in a joint meeting with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, to ensure that the policy reflected Nigeria’s national interest.

NCAN warned the rival group to desist from what it called cheap blackmail and character assassination, threatening to take stronger action if such activities continued.

“We emphatically state that Dr. Ojo Joseph Ajanaku remains the authentic president of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN). We call on Nigerians and the business community to disregard these impostors and agents of disruption who intend to derail the Nigerian cashew industry,” the statement read.

“The National Cashew Association of Nigeria is not divided. We remain one big and formidable association, committed to advancing the growth of the cashew value chain in the country,” NCAN added.

The association further assured stakeholders that it remains united under Ajanaku’s leadership and open for business with local and international partners.