Zamfara removes Gusau as athletics association chairman

The Zamfara State Directorate of Sports Development has announced the removal of embattled Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) President, Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, as chairman of its athletics association.

A letter addressed to AFN Secretary-General dated August 17, 2020 and signed by Isikaya Magaji Shameel, the Zamfara State’s Director of Sports, said Gusau was removed after ‘extensive deliberations’ by the management and stakeholders of the state’s athletics association. It added that Jamilu Aliyu Zannan Gusau has been duly appointed as the Chairman of Zamfara Athletics Association.

Zannan Gusau’s appointment, according to the letter, was in line with the guidelines governing the appointment of Zamfara Athletics Association chairman.

With this development, Ibrahim Gusau, who recently dragged the Federal Ministry of Sports, the Sports Minister, Mr Sunday Dare and the AFN Secretary-General to court over his suspension and subsequent impeachment by the board of the AFN, will cease to be a member of the
federation’s board.

Gusau will also have to relinquish his position as president of the AFN following his removal as he ceases to be the North-West zonal representative on the board of the federation, a position, which allowed him to contest for the presidency of the AFN in 2017.

The North-West zone will now hold a by-election, where a new zonal representative will be elected into the board of the AFN, while the Congress of the federation will decide whether Olamide George, its vice president, will be asked to act until new elections are held or he becomes the substantive president.