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The Minister of Youth & Sport Development Solomon Dalung has told sport federations to organise themselves and hold credible elections into their boards, as, contrary to rumours, he has no vested interests or candidates.
Dalung, who was speaking during the one- day stakeholders’ forum on national sports federations’ elections guidelines at the Media Centre, Package ‘A’, at the National Stadium, Abuja.
Dalung confessed to being glad that stakeholders were getting the opportunity to craft the document that would guide federation elections, as it was not only the right thing to do, but, also, a re-affirmation of the commitment of the Buhari Administration to reform the sports sector.
“One of the challenges of the sports sector lies in its foundation – the structure and leadership of National Sports Federations, because they are responsible for promoting and coordinating the development of the various sports in the country, as well as encouraging mass participation at all levels.
He further cleared the air on rumours making the rounds that the ministry had some form of vested interests.
“I use this opportunity, therefore, to reiterate what I have always stated in the past – I do not have any candidate in these elections and, therefore, have no vested interest in who becomes a member of the new boards. Furthermore, to ensure the neutrality of the ministry, we will constitute an electoral committee, made up of reputable citizens within and outside the sports sector, which will conduct the 2017 National Sports Federations elections.”
…Halts Gumel, Ndanusa, Ogba, Others’ Ambitions
Meanwhile, the hopes of the president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Engineer Habu Gumel, to re-contest seek re-election as president of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) has been halted, as the new guidelines endorsed by the stakeholders yesterday in Abuja banned him and other federation presidents and vice presidents, who have served two consecutive terms from partaking in the June 9, 2017 elections.
Former Minister of Sports and president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, Engr. Sani Ndanusa; Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN)’s Solomon Ogba, NBBF’s Tijjani Umar, HFN’s Yusuf Dauda, NWF’s Daniel Igali and others would be affected.
All sport federation presidents and vice presidents who occupy positions at the international sport body would have to opt out. According to the 2017 election timelines, the deadline for setting up of electoral committees by NSF is April 20, release of nomination forms April 25, deadline for submission of nomination forms May 2, zonal elections May 9 and submission of names of representatives of other constitutes May 12.
Verification of names of representatives of other constituencies May 16 and 17, hearing of petitions and appeals on zonal and constituencies representatives May 19-23 and bye elections arising from petitions and appeals at zonal and constituency levels May 30, election to the positions of federations presidents and vice presidents June 9, hearing of petitions June 11 and 12, hearing of appeal cases (including CAS) June 15-23, bye-elections arising from petitions and appeals June 30 and inauguration of the boards July 6. The elections will be conducted by the respective NSC, FMYSD or NOC acting as election monitors.Each board shall comprises the president, vice president, 11 others as provided for in their relevant constitutions or statues and a secretary-general.
Members shall be drawn from six geo-political zones in the country, one athletes representative of the sport, one instructional representative, one or two representatives of international sports body, one from National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS), one from NAPHER/SD, one philanthropist or ex-officio member sponsor.