Renowned philanthropist, investor, and supporter of grassroots sports in Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, has explained why he decided to join the presidential race of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) election scheduled for this weekend in Abuja.

Ochei, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, and a former Executive Director of NIMASA, is expected to clinch the seat following his numerous contributions to Nigerian tennis and other sports.

Apart from being the patron of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria (PCN), Ochei has been the sole sponsor of the International Wheelchair Basketball Championship, which has produced many stars for the country over the past seven years. He also sponsored Nigerian wheelchair basketball teams to various international competitions, including the Rio 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers in Algeria.

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, Ochei explained that he decided to heed the calls by some top sports personalities to contest for the position of President of the NTF following the vacuum created by the death of the former President, Engr. Ifedayo Akindoju, who passed away on October 3rd, 2025.

“I would like to put the record straight. I have been a major supporter of grassroots sports in Nigeria, including tennis, for close to a decade, not because of my interest in becoming the President of the NTF or any other sports federation. Also, the former President of the NTF, Engr. Ifedayo Akindoju, who died on October 3rd, 2025, was my close friend. Some of my friends and other stakeholders in the sports industry believe that the only person who can fit into the vacuum created by the death of Engr. Akindoju is Victor Ochei. I don’t want to ignore their call because I love tennis, and I am coming to contribute my quota to the growth of the game in Nigeria,” Ochei stated.

As part of his contributions to the growth of tennis, Ochei revealed that, as an Audemars Piguet Ambassador, he attended the four annual global tennis grand slams and, for the past half a decade, has sponsored the Davnotch National Tennis Open Championship.

A top official of the National Sports Commission (NSC) told The Guardian yesterday that several people are scheming for the position, and their foot soldiers are moving from one place to another lobbying for them.

“But unfortunately for them, those who will vote on Saturday have already made up their minds on the quality of candidate they want as NTF President. The position requires a very vibrant, vast, and result-oriented personality.

Victor Ochei is a passionate tennis lover who has devoted a large chunk of his life so far to the development of the game. Ochei has never missed the final of any grand slam in the last eight years, irrespective of where it is played,” the official said, pleading anonymity.