Solomon Dalong, Minister of Sports
The National Sports Federations Elections Appeals Committee has nullified the election of Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau as president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
Abulrasaq Salau-led appeal committee ruled that the petitioner, Charles Musa Yayock, was wrongfully disqualified as representative of the North-west Zone without valid reason, hence the decision to annulled the AFN presidential election and order for a elections at both the zonal and national.
The ruling, which was held at the conference room of the permanent secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Abuja, yesterday, has also seen the committee nullify the elections of Margaret Elizabeth Binga as president of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), in a judgment given to the petition of Mr George Ashiru, former president of the federation.
The committee in its ruling held that the petitioners’ name was wrongly substituted, found merit in the appeal and consequently nullified the presidential election and directed that fresh election be held and reinstate Mr. George Ashiru as the Ex-officio/philanthropist/sponsor on the board of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, and order for fresh presidential election.
The committee however upheld the election of Brown Ebewele and Rosa Collins as duly elected representatives of coaches/technical association and NAWIS on the board of AFN respectively.
The committee also annulled all the elections conducted in the board of Gymnastic Federation of Nigeria (GFN), saying the damning report of the electoral committee itself, constrained it to nullify all the elections conducted in respect of the Gymnastic Federation of Nigeria both at the zonal, vice presidential and presidential levels and order that fresh election be conducted.
The committee its ruling on the petition brought to it by the former president of Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Emeka Onyeama for alleged irregularities in NCF elections, ruled that it found no reason to set aside the results of the election as conducted by the electoral committee. Accordingly the petition fails and the election of Mr. Aimola Oludare and other mentioned candidates is upheld and they stand duly elected.
The committed stated that in the bid to rewrite the wrongs which were inadvertently done during the elections, the report of the FEAD Department was discussed extensively and come to a conclusion that
Former AFN president, Solomon Ogba returned as AFN philanthropist/sponsor/Ex-officio, Dele Oguntokun returned as Dart Federation coaches/technical representative, Sulley Gwargwarwa returned as Dart Federation philanthropist/sponsor/Ex-officio and Prof. Morankiyo Babatunde returned as Volleyball Federation philanthropist/sponsor/Ex-officio.
The committee said it received 21 petitions from 11 National Sports Federations and deliberated extensively during its sittings to arrived at the decisions.
