AFN president, Gusau impeached over IAAF’s ‘missing’ $135, 000

The President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Ibrahim Gusau paid the big prize yesterday, as he was impeached by the board following his alleged role in the ‘missing’ $135, 000 erroneously paid to the country two years ago by world athletics body, IAAF.

Seven out of 12 board members of the AFN impeached Gusau in the office of the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung in Abuja yesterday.

One of the board members, Brown Ebewele told The Guardian shortly after the meeting that they decided to ‘sweep Gusau aside’ to enable the board carry out proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the ‘missing’ IAAF money.

“Seven of us signed the letter asking Gusau to step aside,” Ebewele said. “One of the board members, Fidelis Gadzama had been in the United Kingdom since we came on board, meaning only 12 of us have been active. Sunday Adeleye was here, but he refused to sign the letter. We have the consent of other board members, and we are conscious of the rules. We are also conscious that the AFN is under a supervising ministry. We are going into another meeting now to set up a committee that will investigate how Gusau and a few people in the AFN spent the IAAF money,” Ebewele stated.

Asked if Nigeria had refunded the IAAF $135, 000, as the deadline given by the world body expired yesterday, Ebewele said: “Yes, the sports minister has communicated with the president of IAAF on the issue and they reached an agreement. The IAAF is no longer sanctioning Nigeria.”

But the Technical Director of AFN, Sunday Adeleye ruled himself out of Gusau’s impeachment yesterday, describing the exercise as ‘kangaroo meeting’.

“How come only five out of 13 board members are impeaching the AFN president? I want Nigerians to also ask why the sports minister is paying 50 percent of the money to IAAF when he had declared that he didn’t know how the money was spent? Who is fooling who?” Adeleye queried.

The Guardian reported at the weekend that a sharp division had emerged among board members of the AFN, following their meeting with the sports minister, who revealed that he approved N39 million to Gusau to be refunded to the IAAF shortly after the Asaba 2018 African Senior Athletics Championships.

Instead of following the minister’s directives, Gusau and Adeleye allegedly used the money to purchase kits for Nigerian athletes without informing other board members.