Badminton: Stakeholders petition NASS, EFCC over N190m Rivers gift, others

National Chairman of the Nigerian Badminton Federation, Mr. Francis Orbih has been accused of mismanagement of funds including a N190 million  donation by the Rivers State government.

Orbih, who is the immediate past president of the BFN is alleged to have mismanaged funds of the Federation as there was “No transparency and accountability for over 4 years of his rule over BFN”

The allegations were contained in a petition addressed to the minister of sports and youth development, Mr Sunday Dare and copied to the Senate and House of Representatives committees on sports and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Part of the petition signed by Mr. Kenneth Aguine, a former Badminton international on behalf of the Concerned Badminton Stakeholders in Nigeria reads: “All monies released by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMOY&SD) and other corporate sponsors were not brought to the knowledge of the Board for deliberations and approval as required and clearly stated in the “National Sports Federations Code of Governance 2017” issued by the same Ministry to guide the administrative and financial operations of the Federations.

“Section 4.6.5 is expected to provide all financial statement of income and expenditure to the Board through the Secretary but unfortunately, throughout the over 4 years of Mr Orbih’s tenure, the Board was in the dark of what transpired financially between the former President and the Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as the Rivers State Government in the Sponsorships of Badminton competitions”

The petitioners also queried, :How much did Rivers State Government release to the Federation for the Africa Senior Badminton Championship, 2019 in Port Harcourt and expenditure details including due process application”.