Minister warns former officials against anti-federations’ elections gimmicks

Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung has warned former presidents and members of dissolved boards to desist from any act that would undermine the laid down process for the forthcoming National Sports Federations polls. He advised all contestants to abide by the rules and guidelines adopted by stakeholders of the various sports and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).

Dalung, who maintained the ministry’s commitment to producing democratically elected sports federations’ boards, reiterated that all the boards have been dissolved following the expiration of their four-year terms and remained so to make way for credible polls.

“The boards of all the federations have been dissolved. There is no autonomous board or federation anywhere. The boards are funded by the Federal Government and are on Federal Government’s budget. Anybody involved or trying to disturb the public peace will have the law agencies to contend with. The date of all sports federations’ elections, including the zonal representatives, vice presidents and presidents remains June 13, 2017,” he reaffirmed.

Dalung also warned that anybody contributing money or doing business with any of the former presidents of the dissolved federations’ boards now “is doing so at his or her own risk as all boards have been dissolved with the secretaries holding forth till the elections.”

Barrister Dalung restated that the ministry will do everything in its capacity to ensure a level playing field for all contestants where all shall be given equal opportunities to realize their ambition to contest the elections.

“Those heating up the sports space are those government nominees who were hand picked to serve on the various boards. The election format has since changed and every contestant must abide by the adopted guidelines. The date has been fixed for June 13, 2017. Any other activity outside the programme of the supervising ministry is illegal and anyone who heats up the polity or tries to undermine the government will have the law enforcement agencies to contend with.”