Ministry warns Gusau against disobeying board decisions

The Ministry of Youth and Sports yesterday warned factional leader of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Ibrahim Shehu Gusau against disobeying the decisions of the board, which suspended him during its December 3, 2019 general meeting in Abuja.
Eight members of the AFN board had in Abuja suspended Gusau from his position as the president of the body and elected his erstwhile vice, Olamide George as its acting president.

But Gusau and a group loyal to him held another meeting in Awka a day later, where the former federal legislator was reaffirmed as the AFN boss.The Awka meeting also suspended George and the seven other members who participated in the Abuja meeting. However, the sports ministry yesterday upheld the AFN’s suspension of Gusau and warned the ‘former’ president to stop going against the decisions of the federation.

The Ministry said it was in receipt of a communiqué arising from the December 3, 2019 board meeting signed by the AFN Secretary General, Prince Adeniyi A. Beyioku, noting that the meeting was duly convened.It also noted that the president several violated the constitution of the Federation Code of Governance and extant rules, adding that it acknowledged “the unanimous decision reached by the board suspending the President arising from infractions, and the setting up of a five-man investigative panel to report to the next board meeting of its findings.”

The ministry, therefore, warned Gusau “to note the above and subject himself to the outcome of the proceedings. We also encourage the Board to continue to carry out the affairs of the Federation in accordance with extant rules and regulations.” The ministry reminded Gusau that it had statutory responsibilities for the formulation, supervision, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes on Sports administration in the country, adding, “In the discharge of these responsibilities, the ministry through the 38 National Sports Federations under its supervision ensures the compliance with laid down Rules and Regulations of the Code of Governance, which the constitution of the National Sports Federations recognises.”

While it is acknowledged that national sports federations were independent in the administration of their day-to-day activities, it said, “No federation could be said to be autonomous of government due to the constitutional provisions as well as the appropriation support from the Federation Account of the Federal Government.”