Ado Salisu
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has strongly disowned and condemned the purported election being orchestrated in Lagos by suspended members of the association.
The NEC described the move as illegal, null and void, and a deliberate act of sabotage against the integrity of the body.
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According to the NEC, the primary aim of the suspended members is to sow confusion within the Lagos sports journalism community.
The council expressed concern over their reported use of thugs and alleged collusion with unauthorized security personnel to intimidate members and disrupt lawful activities.
In a firm resolution endorsed by the National Secretariat, the NEC reaffirmed that:
Ms. Olatutu Oladunni (former Chairperson, Lagos SWAN) and
Mr. Bello Omotunde (former Secretary, Lagos SWAN)
remain indefinitely suspended from all activities and structures of the association.
Following escalating tensions, SWAN has officially petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
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The petition draws attention to a pattern of intimidation, impersonation, and misuse of security operatives by the suspended duo, which the NEC said could disturb the peace and professional order within the Lagos sports and media landscape.
Signed by SWAN National President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, and Secretary-General, Amb. Ikenna Okonkwo, the petition highlights the duo’s plans to conduct an unauthorised election on Thursday, October 9, 2025, despite prior official notifications of their suspension being sent to both the Lagos State Police Command and the DSS Directorate.
SWAN recalled a disturbing incident during the Lagos SWAN Congress held on September 17, 2025, where Ms. Oladunni allegedly mobilised over eleven (11) police vehicles and armed operatives to a peaceful gathering of sports journalists — a move described as:
“A brazen show of force, abuse of privilege, and a deliberate attempt to intimidate members.”
The NEC categorically stated:
“The so-called Lagos election is not only illegal but also an affront to the authority of the National Executive Council. The individuals behind this plot have no mandate or legitimacy to act in the name of SWAN. Their continued defiance constitutes gross misconduct and will attract further disciplinary measures.
SWAN warned that any security agency or officer providing support to this illegitimate activity would be complicit in undermining the association’s constitutionally recognised order.
The NEC called on the IGP and DG DSS to:
Restrain the suspended individuals,
Maintain institutional neutrality, and
Prevent further misuse of national security resources in what is strictly an internal matter of a professional body.
Reiterating its constitutional authority, the NEC declared that only the National Secretariat holds the power to approve or supervise state chapter elections. Any such process conducted outside this framework is null, void, and of no effect.
“The NEC of SWAN stands firm in defending the unity, credibility, and sanctity of the association,”
“We will not tolerate any act of indiscipline, impersonation, or external interference that threatens our stability and professional integrity.”
The association reassured all members nationwide of its commitment to due process, transparency, and the protection of journalists’ rights, urging them to disregard the actions of the suspended individuals and remain guided by the lawful decisions of the NEC.