Weeks after the Chairman, Rice Farmers Association, Niger State Chapter, Mahmoud Sani, signified his intention to join the governorship race in the state, crisis has rocked the association with the purported removal of Sani by the national body.
The alleged removal of the chairman was hinged on the allegation that he had short-changed over 20,000 farmers to the tune of N50m after collecting N2,500 from each of them.
But Sani dismissed his purported removal from office, saying that due process was not followed by those claiming to have removed him.
He also dismissed the allegation of short-changing the farmers, stating that all dues being charged the farmers were legitimate “as it was agreed by all members of the state executive of the association.”
According to him, every rice farmer in the state was asked to pay N2,500 for registration, data capturing, handbooks, capacity building and identity cards, stressing that the association decided to embark on fund generation because the Federal Government did not release money.
Sani pointed out that since the data capturing exercise began, no fewer than 24,911 rice farmers had been successfully captured, and out of this, 20,000 had received various farm implements.
He disclosed further that part of the money was being used to run the association’s secretariat in all the local government areas of the state.
He described the allegations against him as baseless and untrue, saying “all these allegations are because of my intention to contest the governorship of the state in 2019.”
The alleged removal of the chairman was hinged on the allegation that he had short-changed over 20,000 farmers to the tune of N50m after collecting N2,500 from each of them.
But Sani dismissed his purported removal from office, saying that due process was not followed by those claiming to have removed him.
He also dismissed the allegation of short-changing the farmers, stating that all dues being charged the farmers were legitimate “as it was agreed by all members of the state executive of the association.”
According to him, every rice farmer in the state was asked to pay N2,500 for registration, data capturing, handbooks, capacity building and identity cards, stressing that the association decided to embark on fund generation because the Federal Government did not release money.
Sani pointed out that since the data capturing exercise began, no fewer than 24,911 rice farmers had been successfully captured, and out of this, 20,000 had received various farm implements.
He disclosed further that part of the money was being used to run the association’s secretariat in all the local government areas of the state.
He described the allegations against him as baseless and untrue, saying “all these allegations are because of my intention to contest the governorship of the state in 2019.”
In this article: