Sanchi Committee: AFN actually smuggled Obiekwe to London

Esther Obiekwe, the marathoner

  

*Who asked and collected bribe from her?

Morton and Okagbare head AFN’s list to London

Amaechi Morton and Blessing Okagbare will lead Nigerian athletes to the London Olympics

Article | July 3, 2012 - 11:28am | By Jide Alaka

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), on Monday at the National Stadium, announced the list of 31 athletes that will represent Nigeria at this year’s summer Olympics in July.

The list was compiled after the just concluded Africa Athletics Championships that was held in Benin Republic until last Sunday in Porto Novo.

Solomon Ogba, president of AFN commended the athletes for their efforts. Speaking at the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) boardroom, he also disclosed that the team’s performance gave him satisfaction, and expressed hope that they were ready to do the nation proud come July in London.
Ogba then revealed the 23 names and the list is headed by Beijing bronze medallist, Blessing Okagbare. The list also includes Gloria Asunmu, Lawreta Ozoh (100m women); 200m (women) Gloria Asumnu, Lawreta Ozoh and Christy Udoh; 400m (women) Regina George and Omolara Omotosho; (400m Hurdle women) Ajoke Odumosun; High Jump (Women) Doreen Amata; Long Jump Blessing Okagbare; Shot put Vivian Chukwu Emeka; heptathlon Uhunoma Naomi Osaazuwa; Marathon Esther Obiekwe; 100m Hurdle women Seun Adigun; (4x100m women) Blessing Okagbare, Gloria Asumnu, Lawretta Ozoh, Oluwadamola Osayomi, Wisdom Isoken and Christy Udoh; while the 4x400m women has Regina George, Omolara Omotosho, Bukola Abogunloko, Endurance Abinuwa , Idara Otu and Margaret Etim.
The team for the men comprises: 100m, Obinna Joseph Metuh, Ogho Oghene Egwero, Peter Emelieze; 110m Hurdle, Selim Nurudeen; 400m hurdle Ameadi Morton; Long Jump Stanley Gbageke, Triple Jump Oluwatosin Oke; 4x400m, Saul Weogopwa, Abiola Onokoya, Isah Salihu, Tobi Ogunmola, Segun Ogunkole and Godday James.

Monday, January 21st 2013

·         Nigerian athletes’ rough road to victory in Porto Novo

Posted on Saturday, July 7th, 2012

By Uzor Odigbo Snr correspondent, Lagos
Indications on day one of the Championships had produced goose pimples on the fragile faces of Nigerian officials.

Nigeria had lost the gold medal in the women’s 100m event. This was a medal nobody had thought would be lost, coupled with that a Nigeria female 100m hurdler Seun Adigun which earlier medal projections had favoured for a gold medal, hit the hurdle sticks 60m to the finishing line. Lauretta Ozo 100m female sprinter was sent out for beating the gun.
Nigeria was not getting anywhere close to what officials had projected and anxiety mounted, officials wear frowning face and athletes were under intense pressure to deliver.

Officiating was not too good for Nigeria’s athletes who despite earlier good performances were thrown to the outer lanes which worsen the situation, worst hit were the 4x400m relay men and women event and some individual events. In the 100m men event, the same thing happened, Ogho Egwero and Obinna Metu were seeded in lane 2 and 7 respectively in the final despite running a blistering semi-final race in the same event.

Accommodation hiccups was another weapon the host use to obstruct Nigeria’s progress in the championship earlier on arrival.
While other countries were housed at Porto Novo, venue of the competition, the Nigerian contingent was accommodated in Cotonu about 30 kilometes away from the venue coupled with its attendant stress.
Undeterred, Nigeria’s officials kept to every detail and were working according to instructions from the leader of delegation, the AFN president Solomon Ogba.
Again, all countries that attended the championship were issued with services busses except Nigeria, till this moment, no explanation were offered by the host country as to reasons behind the denial.
As events kept coming, Nigeria pick up the gunlet and thing began to look up.
Team Nigeria returned to winning ways in continental track and field Sunday emerging the overall champions of the 18th edition of the African Senior Athletics Championships in Port Novo, Republic of Benin.
Unlike two years ago in Nairobi when the host country edged Nigeria to win, the relay quartet of Isah Saliu, Abiola Onakoya, Amaechi Morton and Saul Weigopwa ran the race of their lives in the final 4x400m men event to claim the gold that made the difference between Team Nigeria and the East Africans.

Nigerian captain, Saul Weigopwa out ran Botswana’s last leg on the curve of the home stretch to hit the finish line in 3.02: 39 secs to add the vital gold to the one the quartet of Endurance Abinuwa, Omolara Omotosho, Margaret Etim and Bukola Abogunloko (3.28:77secs) had early won to tie the country on same nine gold medals as Kenya.
Botswana got disqualified for South Africa (3.04.12secs) to profit while the bronze went to Kenya (3.04.21).

This is the first time in 12 years that Team Nigeria will be winning African Championships, after the likes of Falilat Ogunkoya, Mary Onyali etc topped the edition Senegal hosted in Dakar in 1998.
Before the race got to the wire, Gloria Asumnu had added the 200m gold to the haul of the previous day while Lawretta Ozoh who ran a photo finish with Asumnu settled for silver based on the reaction time of both athletes.
It was the New Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games champion, Ajoke Muziat Odumosu that opened the flood gates of gold for Nigeria in the final day of the African Championships.

It was an evening Nigerian officials, looked forward to a rush of medals and the athletes were favoured to win gold after their semi-final performances did not disappoint.

In the first event of the day, Ajoke proved too strong for the 400m hurdles contestants as she established an early lead from the 200m mark, she held on and coasted home without much challenge to finish 54. 99 seconds, Hayat Lambarki of Morocco finished second with 55.41, while Liberia’s Rasin McIntosh placed third with 55.99. Ajoke who won at the Nairobi 2010 championships stated after that the race that she was pleased with her performance and was hopeful of making an impact at the London 2012 Olympics.

Equally excited was Gloria Asumnu, who had to fight off stiff competition from compatriot Loretta Ozoh to clinch the women 200m gold. Asumnu powered off at the final bend, but her finishing was almost letting down as Ozoh chased her down, they both breasted the tape at 22.93, but Asumnu took the race having dipped just as Ozoh was catching up.

Noah Akwu took the bronze in the men’s 200m won by Ivory Coast’s Ben Youseff Meite with a time of 20.62 seconds. Amr Saoud of Egypt was second with 20.76, while Akwu finished 20.83.
The Nigerian women 4x400m quartet put up a brave performance and set a new championships record. It was a crowing display by the team featuring Abinuwa Enduracne, Omolara Omotosho, Margaret Etim and Bukky Abogunloko. They totally overwhelmed other competitors, and despite the hot chase by 400m world champion, Amantle Montsho, there was no stopping the Nigerian girls, they finish 3 .28. 07 seconds, to improve on their ranking on the top 16 list of qualifiers for the Olympics. Botswana was second with 3.31.27, while Senegal was third with 3.31.84.

The Nigerian men also put a commanding performance and have booked a place for the London 2012 Olympics. They Finished 3.02. 41 to the gold beating Botswana to second position.

Overall, Nigeria emerged champions, reclaiming their first position in track and field that they had lost some years ago following the decline in the sport. Now, they are winning and AFN President said “we can only give glory to God.”

It was a moment to savour for the Nigerian contingent to the Africa Athletics Championships on Sunday in Porto Novo, as it won five gold medals to overthrow the South Africans as Africa’s best in athletics.
Gold medals in the women’s 400m hurdles, 200m, shot-put and men and women’s 4x400m took the county’s gold tally to 10 and 21 medals in total.
In the Olympic team just released by AFN are Blessing Okagbare, Gloria Asunmu and Lawretta Ozoh (women 100m), Gloria Asumnu, Loretta Ozoh and Christy Udoh (200m), Regina George and Omolara Omotosho (400m), Ajoke Odumosu (400m hurdles), Doreen Amata (high jump), Blessing Okagbare (long jump) and Vivian Chukwuemeka (shot put).

Others are Uhunoma Naomi Osazuwa (hepthatlon), Esther Obiekwe (marathon), Seun Adigun (100m hurdles), Blessing Okagbare, Gloria Asunmu, Loretta Ozoh, Oluwadamola Osayomi, Wisdom Isoken and Christy Udoh (4x100m), Regina George, Omolara Omotosho, Bukola Abogunloko, Endurance Abinuwa, Idara Otu and Margaret Etim (4x400m).
Men: Obinna Joseph Metu, Ogho Oghene Egwero and Peter Emelieze (100m), Selim Nurudeen (110m hurdles), Umeadi Morton (400m hurdles), Stanley Gbageke (long jump), Oluwatosin Oke (triple jump), Saul Weigopwa, Abiola Onakoya, Isah Salihu, Tobi Ogunmola, Segun Ogunkole and Godday James (4x400m).

Meanwhile, Seven Nigerian athletes reached the Olympic qualifying standards set by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), in 2011 to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics.

They represent the first individuals from athletics to book their seats for Team Nigeria for London 2012. They include some of the best sprinters in the country.

Apart from the seven, in the ‘A’ qualifying standard, a host of others have made the lesser ‘B’ standard. Ogho-Oghene Egwero and Peter Emelieze have proven to be the country’s top sprinters in the men’s 100m. Amaechi Morton goes in the 400m hurdles while Tosin Oke aims to make his mark in the Triple Jump.

Blessing Okagbare made the grade in the 100m and 200m sprint double as well as the long jump where she won a bronze medal in 2008. It’s a combination of events made famous by Jesse Owens in 1936 and Carl Lewis in 1984, but an overlap in the scheduling means she is cut between a choice in the longer sprint and the long jump.
Paul Doyle, her US agent, said: “At the moment she’ll definitely do the 100m and long jump.

Last year wasn’t the best for her but I think she has the potential to be the best long jumper in the world. We’ll wait and see about the 200m.”
Another hopeful is Oludamola Osayomi, who can also double up in the sprints. She could be a threat to the best if she can recapture the form she showed in the All-African Games in Maputo.

At a new personal best of 10.99s she ran in the 100m in Sao Paulo which puts her firmly in the top ten sprinters list.

Doreen Amata in the high jump is the final athlete so far making the ‘A’ standard. A country is allowed a maximum of three athletes that reach the ‘A’ standard in an event who meet or exceed this mark in the 18-month period prior to the Olympics.

The ‘B’ standard is slightly easier to reach, but only one additional athlete per nation may be entered who has met the ‘B’ standard without pushing on to the ‘A’ standard. The qualification period ends July 8, 2012

Sanchi panel: This is victimisation, intimidation

Guest Report from Rasheed Balogun

Victimisation and intimidation: Sometimes when authority speaks the words are louder in one’s ears than any auditory sound blaster. But the intent and impact of such pronouncements invites strong criticisms, sentiments and branding of the speaker on behalf of the authority.

I found myself responding to the Sports Minister’s well intended effort to cleanse NSC by instituting a panel made up of a jurist, NSC lawyer and Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Board member (who also is NSC employee named Gloria Obajimi nee Ayanlaja) plus may be some more people.

The circumstances concern London Olympics ‘bribery for entry to represent Nigeria’ at the Olympics, although the sports Minister failed to supply the definition of bribery or ask the ‘athlete’ (Esther Obiekwe) to be represented by legal Counsel which is imperative because NSC has its lawyer to sit on such panel and AFN Board member also have a seat (this is a typical kangaroo justice).

Whether meritorious or not the allegation invites full investigation with documentary evidences on both sides not only the athlete because to do otherwise is victimising the athlete.

Quite frankly, the definition (whether legal or moral) of bribery will include athletes’ that were shortchanged on allowances due them for any type of favour before the Olympics (that is all competitions) which definitely invites all Olympics’ athletes’ presence before the panel.

For one thing there were many allegations that some coaches were simply threatened and some athletes were intimidated on fear of being dropped for Olympics consideration.

Problem with the panel

1.       NSC stacked the panel with its own staff (its lawyer, Gloria Obajimi from NSC from NIS and also AFN Board member);

2.       NSC truncated the universality of the allegation to one athlete complaint;

3.       NSC denied the athlete time to prepare her complaint with legal Counsel;

4.       The panel lacked independence. 

Solution: Ideally, this is a serious allegation dealing with all Olympics bound athletes (and federations) and dealing with a complainant this way suggests scapegoating, victimisation and intimidation. Essentially, no athletes will file any future complaint. As such, it will be in Nigerians interest if the following are adhered to:

1.       NSC immediately recall the panel and institute new independent panel which may or not include the current jurist on the current panel;

2.       NSC must give the athlete time to present her complaint with legal Counsel if she so wish;

3.       No federation or NSC staff or lawyer can sit on any future panel;

4.       NSC must expand the term of reference to look into all allegations against London Olympics officials whether about money, favouritism or intimidations;

5.       NSC must invite all athletes to speak freely on any account of concern they wish to raise.

With these suggestions in mind, any jurist properly empaneled will come up with additional requirements to truly investigate bribery allegations.

Let me add that, the media gave the Nigerian public announcements that the athlete was on the Olympics team and how she made that team should be a concern to the Sports Minister not just her allegation of bribery (prima facie the allegation may have been proven) because an intelligent person would like to know how AFN made statements to the media that she was on Olympics team.

Personally, I and some other people questioned her inclusion on the listed names before the Olympics and I doubt sincerity in this panel investigation, but it’s a welcome development that ought to be done properly not what was announced because it appears to be a sham and aimed to intimidate and victimise other athletes.

I rest.

Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

PDP crisis: Oyinlola to be locked out today, as showdown is eminent

WRITTEN BY GONGADMIN ON JANUARY 14, 2013 - 6:16 AM - NO COMMENT YET

Wadata Plaza, national headquarters of the PDP…battle front today?

By Olajide Fashikun

As work resumes today, there are plans to lock out the sacked National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (as reported by www.gongnews.net). However, the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of today may be the battle ground to stretch muscles.

Oyinlola whose removal by a Federal High Court, Abuja may be barred from either entering the Secretariat or and the NWC meeting, said our source.

Two major parties are fighting proxy wars. Embattled National Chairman Bamanga Tukur is said to be leading a faction loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan. Oyinlola, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s nominee, has the governors of the PDP on his side.

Oyinlola to be replaced: Part of the decisions of the NWC, if it holds, is to make Deputy National Secretary Onwe S. Onwe take over as Acting National Secretary. He has been asked to be on standby.

Oyinlola, on the other hand, has vowed to be in the office this morning. His team of lawyers have concluded papers to get the stay of execution of the judgment of the lower court and proceed to the Court of Appeal.

The Tukur flank have resolved to ask Oyinlola to obey the court’s order, prosecute the Appeal from outside the office. They sited the case of the former national chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor. Although, one is civil and the other was criminal.

Interpretation of court order: It was gathered that the Tukur end claimed that the High Court gave a declaratory order, which must first of all be complied with by Oyinlola before seeking redress. While the Oyinlola end claimed there is nothing declaratory about the orders of that court in the matter in question.

A pro-Tukur folk said: “In challenging a declaratory order, Oyinlola would have to first of all obey and return to the same high court to file a notice of appeal and file a motion at the court for injunction to restrain the PDP from enforcing the judgment.

“After doing that, Oyinlola will also proceed to the Court of Appeal to appeal the judgment. We have sought and gotten legal opinion on the matter. So while that is on, the Deputy National Secretary will be asked to act as the National Secretary.

We could not reach the Oyinlola’s camp for their comments on the latest developments. As at weekend, a source had told this paper, “Oyinlola will resume in his office on Monday and discharge his duties as the National Secretary because he has filed a motion at the Court of Appeal for a stay of execution of the judgment.

Personal, selfish interest caused PDP crises. The untold stories

WRITTEN BY GONGADMIN ON JANUARY 14, 2013 - 5:42 AM - NO COMMENT YET

Bamanga Tukur and Murtala Nyako…their interests in shredding PDP

By Olajide Fashikun

We have decided to go to the roots of where the PDP problems that is almost engulfing the party to its foundation started. Our summary is, the personal interests of two of the biggest partymen in the state, Dr Bamanga Tukur and Governor Murtala Nyako as to who occupies the Government House in 2015.

While Nyako wants to pick who will become the next governor after he leaves, Tukur wants to install his son as the next governor. To get this objective achieved, both men must place their men in the saddle of the party at the state level.

Nyako alienated all strong oppositions in the party in the state to have a firm control of the party. This made him bring a relation of his as the state party chairman not minding the zonal prescriptions of the party’s constitution. This has been the setting since 2007.

Heavyweights in hell: Some of the heavyweights who were forced out of the ’25-storey’ party through the window as a short cut to hell include national Chairman of the party Bamanga Tukur, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Education Minister Professor Jibril Aminu, Ambassador Hassan Adamu, former Minister of State for Health, Aliyu Idi Hong, Senators Grace Bent and Paul Wampana. Other victims presently in the cold are General Haladu Hananiya, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, General Aliyu Kamaa and a former governor of the defunct Gongola State, Wilberforce Juta.

The list also includes former Ambassador to South Africa and governor of Lagos state General Mohammed Buba Marwa. Marwa led some of his folks out of the PDP to challenge Nyako in 2011 gubernatorial elections. While Marwa went to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) someothers went to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Governor post Nyako’s tenure: When Nyako got intelligence report on Tukur’s scheming to make Auwal, his first son the governor after him, he decided to checkmate the plot. First, a team was raised to dust any incriminating information on Auwal. While that is going on, the political banana was planned. The national secretariat of the PDP, in what is said by the Nyako flank to be a deliberate plot, faulted the state executive committee (SEC) of the party, having suspended the zonal national chairman, dissolved the SEC and ordered for a fresh Congress to put in place another SEC.

In March 2012, a controversial congress was conducted which was rejected by stakeholders. A political rival to Nyako, Mallam Umar Ardo, had in a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yola, alleged that the process was skewed against other interests within the party. The stakeholders called for the dissolution of the committee.

According to him, the process was manipulated to return 99% of ward executives made up of the governor’s loyalists. The state chairman of the party, Mijinyawa Kugama, is a kinsman of Nyako from the same local government and ward area!

Amb. Hassan Adamu, Gov. Murtala Nyako and Dr. Bamanga Tukur when the going was good

National headquarters in full gear:On 17^th October, 2012, the state committee of the PDP was dissolved. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, the PDP said its National Working Committee exercised “Article 31, Section 2(e) and 29, 2 (b) of the 2012 amended constitution of our Party,” for the dissolution after “repeated breaches of the constitution by the Adamawa State Chapter.”

One of the articles says: “Where necessary, dissolve a State Executive Committee and appoint a caretaker committee to run the party until another Executive Committee is elected, provided that the period from the dissolution to the election of the new Executive shall not to exceed three months.”

Some of the breaches committed by the dissolved Kugama-led committee are the submission of a list for local government elections to Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC) without the NWC’s consent and disrespect for zoning formula in the state, as well as the alienation of stakeholders.

Metuh listed the sins as follows: “The dissolved Exco was expressly advised by the National Working Committee (NWC) to halt further steps towards the conduct of Local Government Elections as agreed at a meeting of 9th October, 2012 between the NWC and the Adamawa State Working Committee.

“However, the EXCO did not only go ahead with the process, it submitted a list of candidates to the State Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) without the approval of the NWC.”

“The action of the EXCO was contrary to the provisions of section 50(1) of the Constitution of the Party which among others states emphatically that the National Executive Committee which the NWC acts on behalf of in this respect, is the final authority for the formulation of guidelines and regulations for the nomination of Candidates for election into public offices at all levels and conveying same to INEC or any other authority to whom it may concern.

“The NWC also referred to complaints and petitions from principal stakeholders of the Party in Adamawa State on various unconstitutional acts of the dissolved State EXCO, especially the principle of zoning as enshrined in Article 7(3) (e) of the party constitution as well as several letters from INEC complaining of non compliance with relevant laws in the conduct of the Adamawa State Congresses.

“All entreaties to get the Adamawa State Working Committee to rescind and, or reverse these constitutional breaches proved abortive, hence its decision.”

The NWC raised a nine-member caretaker committee, headed by Yobe State-born Umar Damagun to manage the PDP affairs in Adamawa.

A defiant Nyako went ahead to conduct local government elections against the directive from his party’s national secretariat.

Although, he later apologised for his indiscretion, the deed had been done. The alleged disrespect of the NWC led to the summoning of Nyako to Abuja and the suspension of the Northeast PDP National Vice Chairman, Alhaji Lawan Girigiri and the dissolution of the Kugama-led committee.

In a 5^th December, 2012 letter to INEC headquarters, signed by Tukur and the sacked National Secretary of the PDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the party notified the commission of fresh party congresses in Adamawa State.

The letter reads: “In keeping with the provisions of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010, we write to inform INEC that the NWC of our great party has approved the conduct of the following party congresses in Adamawa State , sequel to the upcoming party congresses in the state. (Ward Congresses-December 27, 2012; LGA Congresses-January 3, 2013; and State Congress-January 8, 2013). Accordingly, INEC is hereby notified of these Congresses.”

Based on the letter to INEC, a new State Executive Committee, headed by Chief Joel Madaki, was elected by a faction of the PDP made up of aggrieved but influential stakeholders.

How NWC, PDP governors were recruited to the crisis:

When Nyako appeared before the NWC of the party, he effectively “turned the table” against Tukur. We recall that before the fact-finding session, Metuh had said, in the defence of the principles of law: “Tukur would not preside over the meeting but the Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja would. This is to make sure that nobody would accuse the party of any bias.”

Nyako told reporters in Yola: “Of course, the election stands. The result of the election is not determined by the party. It is determined by the State Independent Electoral Commission. Whatever we had to do was done in the best interest of the party.”

According to a source at the NWC meeting: “The governor opened up and most NWC members were convinced that the issues in Adamawa PDP were skewed to Tukur trying to make his son governor after his own eight year two-term tenure. Nyako’s appearance before the NWC marked the beginning of the palace coup. This is given also that at the Wadata Plaza headquarters of the PDP, Tukur had carried on as a one-man riot squad. He is a dictator of sorts.

Tukur’s divided house: To lend credence to the issues raised by Nyako, a quick review was done in-house which showed the truth and insinuations. Tukur had sacked two of his personal aides, his Chief of Staff Habu Fari and Special Assistant Ahmed Shaibu Gara-Gombe.

A day after Fari was sacked, he resumed in President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 Campaign secretariat while fiery sports analyst, Gara-Gombe was replaced with his son, Auwal.

Nyako had also reached out to the governors. He had recruited them to understand what is happening to him will be made to catch up with them. The governors quickly reached to their ownpeople in the hierarchy of the party.

“The governors also raised a lot of issues, such that members felt reconciliation was needed.”

Out of fear, the NWC was influenced to write INEC for fresh congresses in Adamawa State on the 5^th December 2012.

To win the hearts of the NWC members, PDP governors and other stakeholders (including political godfathers) took up Nyako’s battle.

National headquarters in reverse gear: There was much tremendous pressure on NWC members from their benefactors. They had to go and cancel their initial resolution to dissolve Adamawa State Executive Committee. By now, it was Tukur 0-1 Nyako. Nyako secured an away win!

The PDP Governors to show they have taken a stand in the matter led a delegation to the party’s National Secretariat on the 10^th December, 2012.

The governors interpretation was that the dissolution of the state executive committee in Adamawa is a survey and test case to severe party structure from them in all the states under PDP control ahead of the 2015 general elections. By now, it is Tukur 0-2 Nyako. Nyako secures a second goal in the match.

Not realizing where the governors are thinking from, all attempts by the PDP governors to have the sacked Adamawa state committee reinstated was rebuffed by Tukur.

The governors, led by the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, had audience with the NWC.

Then, they moved to the national leader of the party, Goodluck Jonathan, where they took their stand and resolved to take the matter to the National Executive Committee (NEC) whose majority members were appointees of the governor. Tukur was to be sacked there. Now, it is a hattrick. Nyako scored the third goal! Scoreline reads Tukur 0-3 Nyako. Can Tukur come back like the Damaan Miracle and score three, equalize and look forward to winning the game?

Sanchi committee: Sports Minister has looked for trouble

Bolaji Abdullahi, Sports Minister...doing
the abominable in our sports. Applause for him

THE NEWS: NSC sets up panel to investigate allegations of corruption made by athlete

Following the allegations made by Ms Esther Obiekwe, an amateur marathoner, in The Nation’s newspaper of 6^th January, 2013, that she was asked to give bribe in order to be part of the Nigerian contingent to the London 2012 Olympic Games, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has set up a panel to investigate the veracity of her claims.

In the said publication, Ms Obiekwe had made sweeping allegations that were considered injurious to the corporate image of the Commission, claiming among others, that nearly all the athletes to the London 2012 Olympics bribed their way to the Games and that the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) asked her for inducement but she refused to give.

Justice Danlami Sanchi chairs the Panel.  Other members are: Dr. Gloria Obajimi, President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, DCP Mohammed Sani, the Legal Adviser of the NSC as members while Mr. Mohammed Abdul-Sule will serve as the Secretary.

The panel, which began sitting last week, will complete its task this week.  Ms Obiekwe is expected to appear before it at 2pm on Monday, 14^th January, 2012 to prove her allegations.

THE NEWS ANALYSIS: It is the very first time in a long time that the National Sports Commission (NSC) is responding to such grievous matters like this. This is a Commission that never responded to issues of image. For this, one must commend the NSC Chairman, Bolaji Abdullahi. He deserves commendation. One hopes they will take such issues to high level of sports governance.

One of the issues that the Justice Sanchi committee will need to establish is, the lady making the allegation IS NOT a qualified athlete to have been in the London 2012 Olympics in the very first instance. (see FOOLING NIGERIANS IN THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT. http://olajidefashikun.blogspot.com/2012/07/fooling-nigerians-in-olympic-spirit.html)

How was she smuggled into the list of Nigerian athletes in London? Monies were allegedly made off some corporate organisations in the process. Were these allegations true? Who were involved. This is a bigger corruption.

I investigated the matter and reported same. We have to get to the root of this bigger corruption and the culprits must be punished accordingly.

Sex scandal: The NSC would do well to either extend the terms of reference of the Sanchi committee to look into the sex scandal for which the alleging athlete had been ostracized and discriminated despite improving standards. (see: SCANDALS OF SEXUAL NATURE IN NIGERIAN ATHLETICS. http://olajidefashikun.blogspot.com/2011/10/scandals-of-sexual-nature-in-nigerian.html). The allegation of discrimination was the outcome of my report (see Athletics Fraud of Nigeria (AFN) in World junior scandal

http://olajidefashikun.blogspot.com/search?q=world+junior)

 

  God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Can justice start to apply to being a Nigerian? Uhm! This is a good precedence that has to be retained and sustained. See why we need a sports justice system?