The National President of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) Ademola Adesokan has queried the legal right of the former president, Mr. Ojo Aanaku to expel him or any member of the association, including the Board of Trustees (BoT) from the association.

He described the action as invalid, saying the former President acted contrary to a subsisting court judgment.

The embattled former President of the association during an Annual General Meeting held in Abuja had announced the suspension of Adesokan from the Association over anti-party activities. However, Adesokan, in a series of legal documents made available to journalists, stated that Ajanaku’s tenure expired in 2022.

Adesokan during a press briefing yesterday in Abuja stated that he
emerged National President of the cashew farmers Association during an Annual General Meeting held in Lagos on January 20, 2026.

He said “Ajanaku’s tenure expired in November 2022 in line with NCAN’s 2007 constitution, which provides for a single three-year term saying a person whose tenure has expired cannot validly exercise disciplinary powers over members or trustees.”

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

He described the former president’s continued claim to leadership and recent actions as unlawful and contrary to a subsisting court judgment.

Adesokan anchored his position on a Consent Judgment delivered by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on November 9, 2019, in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/439/2016.

The judgment, delivered by Justice O. A. Musa, directed NCAN to revert to its 2007 constitution and affirmed that Ajanaku’s tenure, along with 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. This is not a contest of opinions, it is a matter of a subsisting legal framework.

“Ajanaku should respect the rule of law and avoid actions capable of misleading stakeholders or destabilising the association”,Adesokan added.

While speaking on the number of trustee members, Adesokan further dismissed claims by Ajanaku that the Board of Trustees had been expanded to eleven members, describing the assertion as unfounded and inconsistent with official records.

“Claims of expanding the Board of Trustees to eleven members have no basis in the association’s registered structure and have not been validated by any competent authority.
After all five BoT unanimously back Adesokan’s, election, Ajanaku suddenly claimed he added BOT to 11.

“What we have is an ex president who doesn’t want to leave for his personal interests not the betterment of the industry after serving 4 years over his legal tenure”, he said.

Adesokan, however cited certified records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), which confirm that NCAN has five legally recognised trustees.

He noted that certified records from the Corporate Affairs Commission confirm the legally recognised trustees of the association, listing them as Mr. Tunji Owoeye, Mr. Bode Omoyeni, Mr. Sonie Stevenson, Mr. Ade Adesida, and Mr. Tola Faseru, whom he described as the original founders 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 added.

On the role of government, Adesokan clarified that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has warned that any action taken in violation of a subsisting court judgment constitutes a breach of the law and could attract legal consequences.

This follows an investigation by the ministry into the protracted dispute over the association’s leadership.

To this end, the Ministry in a letter dated April 1, 2026, stressed that all parties must adhere strictly to the terms of the existing court ruling.

In the letter also cited by journalists, the ministry noted that any action taken in contravention of the judgment constitutes a breach of the law and may attract appropriate legal consequences.

The letter also raised strong objections to the continued claim to leadership by former president, Mr. Ojo Ajanaku, describing the development as inconsistent with the legal framework governing the association.

It warned that the persistence of such claims, despite clear judicial pronouncements, risks further complicating the crisis and undermining lawful governance within NCAN, saying the ongoing leadership tussle could have broader implications for the cashew sector.

Adesokan stated that the cashew sector requires stability and coordinated policy engagement saying actions that create parallel structures and confusion risk undermining investor confidence and farmer welfare,”

He also defended his leadership credentials, highlighting his experience in the cashew value chain as a processor and investor, saying the association requires leadership grounded in practical industry experience..

He harped on the need for the country to move away from shipping out raw commodities and add values to local commodities which is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision.

Reiterating his position, Adesokan called on Ajanaku to respect the court ruling and desist from actions he described as undermining NCAN’s legal framework.

“I have certified copies of evidence, both visuals and papers to back up whatever I have said here including letter from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment addressed to Ajanaku to stop parading himself as the National President of NCAN”, Adesokan added.