The President of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria Ibrahim Gusau has accused the sports ministry of fuelling the crisis that is being experienced in the body. Notwithstanding, he restated the federation commitment to win at least two gold medal for Nigeria at the 20202 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Gusau told journalists in Lagos Sunday that although there appeared to be a division in the board, he is determined to make sure that Nigeria reached its potential when the country filed out against other nations at the sporting fiesta scheduled for the Far East Nation in July.
Gusua also used the occasion to cleared issues arising from a purported factionalisation of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) stating that the Congress held in Awka, Anambra state on Tuesday December 3 was legitimate against the backdrop of similar Congress called by the AFN faction in Abuja the same day.
Gusau partly stated: “We had no intention of addressing the Press as we believed the matter at hand is one that can be resolved as a family. When we realised that some of our members did not share our visions, aspirations and determination to abide by our statutes, we decided to take the matter to the Congress to sort out all grey areas.
“We believed and still believe that whatever grievances our colleagues have, can be handled by the Congress, which is the highest decision making arm of our Federation.”
In view of the parallel congress in Abuja, the AFN boss posited that It is also obvious that the Federal Ministry of Youth & Sports has taken sides by issuing a Press Statement endorsing the purported Board Meeting held on Tuesday, December 3, in Abuja. “If this is not interference, one wonders what is,” he queried.
On why he did not follow the ministers directive which recommended the sack of the AFN technical director, Sunday Adeleye, Gusau simply said he has no power to do such and only the Congress can do so because Adeleye, like him, is an elected board member.
Adeleye stated that he had up to five occasions went to the minister’s office in Abuja but he is being referred to the Permanent Secretary who in turn refers him to a director .
