Athletics Federation of Nigeria postpones congress

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has postponed its annual general congress earlier scheduled to hold on Thursday, December 4, 2019, in Awka, Anambra.

In a letter dated Friday, November 22, 2019, and signed by its Secretary-General, Prince Adisa Adeniyi Beyioku and addressed to all States Athletics Associations, the AFN says it was constrained by circumstances beyond its control to postpone the congress.

“On behalf of the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, I am directed to inform you of the postponement of the annual general congress earlier scheduled for 4th December 2019 in Awka, Anambra state due to circumstances beyond our control,” read part of the letter to the States Athletics Associations.

The AFN further informed that a new date will be communicated to the state associations and regretted the inconveniences the postponement may have caused.

Our correspondent however gathered that the postponement may have been informed by the need to adhere to the letters of the constitution of the AFN and international best practice.

A chairman of one of the state athletics associations in the South-South region of Nigeria who preferred not to be named told our correspondent that many of the state athletics associations were shocked when they received the message for the December 4, 2019 congress.
“We knew for an annual general congress to be called, the AFN constitution stipulates a 60-day notice and the notice sent to us was dated November 5 which makes it just 29 days to the December 4 date,” said the member who expressed his gratitude to the AFN for correcting its own mistake.

He further revealed that many of the state athletics associations do not have copies of the constitution and advised the AFN to revisit the constitution and align it with that of World Athletics.

World Athletics, previously known as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), is the international governing body for the sport of athletics.

“I want the AFN to revisit the constitution, follow the proper procedure, set up a constitution review committee and send copies to members of the congress ahead of the congress. This was not done for the constitution foisted on us in 2017 and I believe proper things should be done now to have a constitution that aligns with that of World Athletics,” said the member who referred our correspondent to a provision in World Athletics’ constitution which states that ‘in the event of any inconsistency between the constitution, rules and regulations of a Member Federation and the Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the IAAF, then to the extent of that inconsistency, the Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the IAAF will prevail.

“I want the AFN to draw up a new constitution and make sure it is not inconsistent with that of World Athletics,” he concluded.