Mr Solomon Dalung: Minister of Sports

The Federal Ministry of Youthd and Sports on Thursday announced that it would inaugurate boards of National Sports Federations on Friday at the Abuja National Stadium.

Nneka Ikem-Anibeze, the Special Assistant on Media to Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Youths and Sports, said in a statement that elections into Rugby and Gymnastics were ongoing.

She said that the Arbitration and Harmonization Committee comprising the Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Ministry took some critical decisions which necessitated the delay of the by-elections.

She said some major decisions taken by the committee included upholding the elections in the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Weightlifting Federation.

Ikem-Anibeze said the committee upheld the election of Ibrahim Gusau as President of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria.

“His challenger Christy Asonze was dismissed because she had served five years ban for drug use by WADA and was not eligible to contest as stipulated in the guidelines.

She also said that the committee returned Solomon Ogba as Sponsor/ Ex-officio of AFN as approved by the federation.

Ikem-Anibeze said while the case of Hamid Adio was dismissed. Rosa Collins and Brown Ebewele were earlier reinstated as representatives of NAWIS and Technical representatives.

She said that the case of Haruna Bako and Charles Yayock of the North west Zone were both dismissed for lack of merit.

For Traditional Sports, the election of Usman Musa as the duly elected President was upheld and not Mohammed Garba Lere.

“The Committee was furnished with fresh pictorial evidence and interviews with those at the election venue proving that Musa Usman won the election and he was so declared winner.

“The Federation is, however, mandated to appoint an international representative as the committee affirmed the reversal of Mohammed Abdullahi who is the current President of Archery  ” she said.

For Rugby, she said the petitioner, Ntiense Williams, presented a historic analysis of Rugby activities in Nigeria and called on the ministry to use the guidelines used by other federations.

She stressed that election into Rugby was ongoing.

For Weightlifting, she said election of Yahaya Mohammed as President was upheld as well as that of the Vice President Emeka Nwank.

“The Presidential election in Judo was upheld.

The committee ruled that by-election in the South west should take place.

“Petition by Mohammed Sule of the cycling federation was dismissed as he failed to pay Appeals processing fees within 48 hours of making his appeal.

“There will be no fresh elections in Taekwondo as EX-officio and philanthropist representative George Ashiru was reinstated as a board member.

For Table Tennis, she said Kayode Ayodele was also reinstated as Athletes’ representative.

The Harmonization Committee ordered fresh elections in Gymnastics as the electoral committee members petitioned that the conduct of the previous elections wad held under duress.

“New electoral committee members will be appointed for the election.

She said all other zonal by-elections that were to be concluded were also ongoing at the stadium.

The ministry had earlier postponed some of the by-elections, leading to protests by delegates at the ministry and the National Assembly.
(NAN)