The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, says he won’t allow antics of ‘blackmailers’ to stop him from discharging his duties.

Olopade’s declaration came after some Sports Federations presidents accused him of interfering in electoral process in sports federations elections thereby undermining the smooth running of the polls.

But Olapade told The Guardian, on Friday, that he will never fall to antics of ‘blacmailers’ saying: “The sports institution and policy put in place by President Bola Tinubu is stronger than any individual, and I won’t fall to the antics of blackmailers in the discharge of my duties.”

Speaking further, Olopade said: “So far, elections have been conducted in nine sports federations, and we had issues in one of them. That should be a pass mark for the NSC. But a situation whereby the President of Judo Federation, Dr. Musa Oshodi, wants the constitution changed overnight to favour his ambition is what is causing problem. We won’t allow that to happen.”

Oshodi had accused the NSC of bias saying: “The way the recent federation elections are being managed is worrisome. The NSC is not expected to interfere in the political structure or internal affairs of any federation.
“It is clear that the Director General of the NSC is the one executing this agenda,” Oshodi said.

Some stakeholders have expressed concern over the ‘bias’ claim, which the Judo Federation President leveled against Olopade. The Chairman of Ogun State Judo Association, Omoba Segun Gbayi, said he decided to throw his weight behind the NSC’s intervention in the lingering leadership crisis in the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), describing it as ‘timely, lawful, and necessary.’

Gbayi dismissed the the accusations by the ousted NJF President, Dr. Musa Oshodi, as ‘mischief and blackmail’ intended to mislead both the public and the international judo community.

“Dr. Oshodi is only trying to remain relevant after losing influence,” Gbayi said. “His claims against the NSC and the Director General, Bukola Olopade, are baseless. From what I am seeing at the moment, I must say I am deeply concerned, and I believe that would also be the feeling of any well-meaning Nigerian who desires positive national transformation in the Judo Federation.”