By Chinyere Anyanwu
The All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has obtained a Federal High Court injunction in Kano, stopping Mr. Mudi Farouk Rabiu, from further parading himself as the president of the umbrella farmers’ body and holding any activity in the name of AFAN.
The Mudi-led breakaway faction had allegedly used the authority of the Association at the national level without grassroots support and in violation of its constitution, to the extent of gaining recognition from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono.
In a statement made available to the media, Alhaji Salisu Mukhtar, Assistant Publicity Secretary of AFAN, noted that, “the desperation and misadventure of the group led by Farouk Rabiu Mudi and his supporters have led them to earn the wrath of the law in Kano.”
According to Murktar, on Monday, August 16, 2021, the Mudi-led group organised a charade at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, Kano, to illegally conduct the election of officials of AFAN, Kano State chapter, before the injunction which was issued on August 18, 2021.
He said: “The group boastfully announced that they would be on air to be seen by the whole world. This was regardless of the pendency of a matter they filed in the Federal High Court, Abuja, slated for definite hearing on September 27, 2021.
“A law-abiding group would wait for the determination of the matter before proceeding to do anything but because they are bereft of decorum and good education, they landed themselves in a serious quagmire.”
The AFAN Kano chapter, illegally registered by Mudi, which was used to open a fresh bank account in Heritage Bank, was disapproved by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). AFAN has continued to flay Heritage Bank for allowing the illegal account, which was opened without due diligence, to remain open and deployed in fraudulent activities which Mudi has been accused of by third parties.
According to Murktar, AFAN had earlier written the management of Heritage Bank on February 14, 2021, referenced AFAN/HERITAGE/FRAUD/CAC/2021/014th February, 2021 on the illegality of the account opened with them in the name of a fake entity claiming to be AFAN.
The letter reads in part: “We write to inform you that your branch has inadvertently opened an account: All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Acct. No.5100311787 without due diligence. All Farmers Association of Nigeria Kano chapter is a nullity as the CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) has issued a letter dated June 22, 2020 (copy attached) to them to change their name within six weeks or it will be cancelled.
“The registration of All Farmers Association of Nigeria Kano Chapter contradicts CAMA as it is not done with the express permission of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), the parent body. We implore you to close this account forthwith because it has been opened to defraud the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and all Nigerian farmers.”