We can’t have two presidents in AFN, board members tell Gusau

The crisis rocking the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) may not be over soon following a declaration by some of the board members yesterday that they will resist every move by the suspended President, Ibrahim Gusau to scuttle the job of the probe panel looking into his alleged involvement in the IAAF’s ‘missing’ $135, 000.

There were media reports at the weekend that some of the board members passed a vote of confidence on Gusau, who had earlier been told to step aside by other board members during a meeting in Abuja last Tuesday. A five-man probe panel set up to investigate Gusau over his alleged involvement in the IAAF ‘missing’ $135,000 will begin seating on Thursday.

One of the board members, Brown Ebewele told The Guardian yesterday that those who passed the vote of confidence on Gusau were ‘shameless’.

“Gusau is on suspension, and his suspension was done on AFN letterhead paper,” Ebewele said. “But these ‘shameless’ fellows passed a vote of confidence on him on a piece of paper. Gusau even signed on that piece of paper, meaning he passed a vote of confidence on himself. I want Nigerians to know that Gusau was imposed on the board in the first place. He came in through the back door and he is leaving through the back door.

“Some of the people who passed that ‘shameless’ vote of confidence on Gusau have cases to answer in IAAF. One of them wants to contest election into IAAF executive committee and he has been rejected.

“The probe panel will be inaugurated on Thursday and we will roll out the programme on how to prepare the athletes for the African Games, World Championships and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Gusau’s tenure committed so many atrocities, including suspending athletes without trial. The new president, Olamide George has just lifted the suspension on one of the athletes, Praise Idamadudu. Gusau has many cases to answer,” Ebewele stated.

Other board members who spoke with The Guardian yesterday collaborated Ebewele’s comment alleging that Gusau ruled AFN like a personal company.