Ado Salisu
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Veteran sports administrator and Chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, has called for the immediate suspension of the ongoing elections into the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), citing widespread irregularities and lack of transparency.
Gara Gombe, a former adviser on sports to the governors of both Kano and Gombe States and ex-chairman of Gombe United FC, made the call on Saturday in a statement issued to newsmen.
According to him, the current electoral process is fundamentally flawedwed due to the absence of a certified and endorsed AFN constitution, exclusion of key stakeholders, and attempts to suppress legal challenges to the outcome of the election.
“I am a member of the AFN Congress, and I can confirm that no constitution has ever been adopted in any congress I have attended. The so-called Anambra 2017 and Abuja 2023 constitutions are shrouded in doubts regarding their legitimacy,” he stated.
He further explained that efforts to harmonize the AFN constitution in Abuja after two separate congresses were inconclusive, leaving the federation without a unified, legally binding document.
Gara Gombe also accused the AFN of procedural violations in convening congresses in Asaba, Bayelsa, as well as in the arrangements for the elections scheduled for May, describing them as unconstitutional and lacking due process.
He expressed concern over the conditions attached to nomination forms for board aspirants, especially a clause barring candidates from challenging election results in court.
“This is undemocratic and legally questionable. It violates the rights of aspirants and undermines the credibility of the entire process,” he added.
Citing a recent administrative blunder where Nigerian athletes missed the World Relays in China due to lapses in visa application delays, Gara Gombe blamed administrative inefficiency and called for a complete overhaul of the AFN’s leadership structure.
Recommendations
He proposed the following:
1. Suspension of the ongoing AFN elections.
2. Appointment of a neutral caretaker committee to run the affairs of the federation for six months.
3. Facilitation of a transparent constitutional adoption process.
4. Reconstitution of a legitimate congress and electoral committee as stipulated by the (yet-to-be-validated) constitution.
Gara Gombe warned that proceeding with the current electoral arrangement would only worsen the credibility crisis in Nigerian sports and make it impossible for newly elected officials to function effectively.
“What we need is not just a change of name from Ministry to Commission, but a complete mindset shift. Sports reform must begin with transparency and accountability,” he concluded.