AFAN leadership crisis deepens as BOT backs Kabir Ibrahim-led executive

A fresh leadership crisis has engulfed the Association of Farmers of Nigeria (AFAN) following a decision by the organisation’s Board of Trustees (BOT) to align with the Kabir Ibrahim-led national executive, thereby distancing itself from the Faruk Group headed by Faruk Rabi’u Mudi.

The development has reignited a long-running dispute within the farmers’ association over legitimacy and leadership control.

Sources within AFAN said the Faruk Group emerged in 2019 as a caretaker committee after the Kabir Ibrahim-led executive allegedly failed to conduct national elections. However, the group’s legitimacy has remained contentious, with claims that its leader, Faruk Rabi’u Mudi, was expelled from AFAN in 2016 over the alleged registration of a parallel AFAN body in Kano State.

The disagreement has since played out in court. In 2022, the Federal High Court delivered a judgement in favour of AFAN’s BOT, a ruling that was later upheld by the Court of Appeal in July 2025. The Kabir Ibrahim-led executive has, however, appealed the decision at the Supreme Court, where the matter is still pending.

Despite the ongoing legal process, the BOT has now formally recognised the Kabir Ibrahim-led executive as the first duly elected national leadership in the history of AFAN. The trustees also authenticated the 2025 General Assembly Forum (GAF) and endorsed the resolutions reached at the meeting, including the dismissal of the Faruk Group.

Reacting to the BOT’s position, AFAN President, Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, said the decision had effectively brought an end to the controversy surrounding the association’s leadership. He called on stakeholders across the agricultural sector to rally behind his administration, insisting that it represents the legitimate leadership of AFAN.

The lingering dispute has raised concerns among stakeholders about AFAN’s stability and its capacity to effectively represent the interests of farmers nationwide, as the leadership tussle continues to cast a shadow over the organisation’s operations.