- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
Leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State chapter has described the recently selected executive as an unconstitutional, illegal and unacceptable .
The body while reacting to a publication in one of the daily newspapers at a press briefing held on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti
through Mr Adebola Alagbada the chairman of Ekiti chapter of AFAN, and Pastor Rufus Oni of the dissolved Arch. Kabiru Ibrahim faction of the association
said, the outcome of the development is illegal, not welcome and thereby condemnable and unacceptable.
According to the association, the body is duly registered as a non-governmental,non-political,non -religious organization that shouldn’t be subjected to ridiculed nor indulge in any illegality.
“All Farmers Association of Nigeria is a National body registered as a non-governmental organization limited by proxy. Dr. Sikiru Olowoyo the SSA to the Governor of Ekiti State on Agric Extension is an interloper on the AFAN internal election matter”.
“Conducting election or selection of an AFAN executive council in the government office is an aberration,illegal and an abuse of authority”.
They also stated that, “Dabbling into an unresolved matter before the Supreme Court of Nigeria is an illegal act and height of contempt of court, undermining the judiciary and capable of truncating court proceedings.
“His action does not follow the due process of the AFAN constitution. Article 14: Election and voting stipulated that before the conduct of any election within the association there shall be a three months mandatory election guideline notice as one of the step among other steps to be followed prior to the conduct of election.
“The illegal kangaroo election was midwifed by the SSA in his office with the aid of some individuals known for their fraudulent shortchanging practices by the farmers and even the security operatives.”
Recall that the SSA published a news story in a daily few weeks ago tagged: “Ekiti State Government has reconciled the two factions of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in the state”.
They hinted that both AFAN leaders of Mr Alagbada Adebola and Pastor Rufus Oni were not in attendance as claimed by the SSA to the Governor on Agric Extension, Dr. Sikiru Olowoyo who said he had brought together members of the Adebola Alagbada and Rufus Oni factions in the state.
Others who spoke with TopNews said there is no faction in Ekiti AFAN not to talk of harmonization of any group in the state.
“We don’t have any faction in the Ekiti chapter of AFAN as claimed by some people. We are hereby refuted such rumour,” they concluded.
