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AFN board impeaches Ibrahim Gusau

By Gowon Akpodonor
24 January 2020   |   4:12 am
The crisis rocking the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) took a new dimension yesterday following the impeachment of its president, Ibrahim Gusau.

• We did not receive court order, says board member
The crisis rocking the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) took a new dimension yesterday following the impeachment of its president, Ibrahim Gusau.

Since the last quarter of 2019, the AFN had been enmeshed in controversies, which resulted in the board suspending Gusau as president, while his vice, Olamide George, was appointed on acting capacity.

Among other things, Gusau was accused of gross violation of the provisions of the federation’s constitution as well as refusing to pay athletes their wages after representing the country at international competitions.

The Guardian learnt yesterday that nine board members of the AFN impeached Gusua at a meeting in Abuja yesterday.

It was further learnt that prior to the meeting, Gusau got an interlocutory injunction from the High Court in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja restraining the AFN from holding the board meeting yesterday. The court order was said to have surfaced a few hours after the sports ministry had named sports philanthropists, Ahmed Kaita as replacement for chief Solomon Ogba on the board of the AFN.

One of the board members, who spoke with The Guardian yesterday, revealed that the federation did not receive any court order before yesterday’s meeting in Abuja.

“All I know is that nine board members met this afternoon to impeach Ibrahim Gusua. We did not receive any court order restraining us from holding a board meeting in Abuja. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics is fast approaching and we have to begin our preparations so that the athletes, who will represent the country will know the direction to follow.”

Some committees, including Technical, Marketing and Sponsorship, Doping and Media Committee were set up by the AFN board yesterday to pave the way for its smooth operation ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games.

Several efforts by The Guardian to speak with Ibrahim Gusau yesterday were unsuccessful.

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