By Emeka Nze
Abuja
A leadership crisis is looming at the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) which has a net worth of $400 million as the President, Pastor Babatola Fasore has allegedly plotted to perpetuate himself in office despite completing his constitutional two terms of office
Our correspondent gathered that defiance Fasore is doing everything possible in his powers to bulldoze his way through including calling the bluff of the superintending Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, claiming that the Ministry does not have supervisory authority over the association.
The Ministry had however issued a letter on June 9th, 2017 and November 1, 2017 directing the NCAN leadership “to commence transitional arrangement to usher in new elected executive officers by December 2017.”
In a letter addressed to the NCAN President, dated Nov 18th, 2017 signed on behalf of the minister by O.B. Ope-Ewe, Director, Commodities and Products Inspectorate, the Ministry said it “cannot endorse tenure extension as it is undemocratic and also has no place on NCAN constitution.”
The Ministry urged the association”to constitute an eight-man electoral committee to commence preparation for NCAN election in December 2017.”
The letter further stated: “The committee should comprise three members from NCAN representing all the three recognised zones by NCAN, three members from the ministry. The Ministry should be updated with the arrangements.
“That all stakeholders, including state chapters of NCAN should be contacted on this development and should be carried along on all preparatory arrangements. You are to note also that representation must be by valid members of NCAN”, the letter directed
But the Fasore led executive disregarded the directive and continued with a meeting purportedly aimed at returning him for a third term in office.
The lame-duck president has also suspended the constitution of the association on the excuse that it is going through an amendment process which stipulated that an individual is entitled to a renewable 3 years in office.
The cashew association boss is also calling the bluff of the superintending Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment which issued a letter on 9th June directing the NCAN leadership to commence transitional arrangement to usher in new elected executive officers by December 2017.
