2022 NOC Election: Why Gusau and Adeleye were disqualified
SportsNow has scooped that Ibrahim Gusau, former President of the Athletics of Nigeria, AFN,and Sunday Adeleye, a former technical director of the federation were disqualified from contesting in Thursday’s Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, election because the former signed his and Adeleye’s form as President of AFN.
An impeccable source close to the electoral committee told SportsNow late Wednesday night that Gusau insisted he is the President of AFN and has the sole right to sign the form for himself and Adeleye.
The two were in Asaba during the 21st National Sports Festival and met with Tonobok Okowa, President of AFN and Solomon Ogba, the former, two-time president of the federation.
It was alleged Gusau, who was accompanied by Adeleye came to Asaba to prevail on Okowa to sign his form and that of Adeleye as contestants in the NOC elections.
SportsNow can now authoritatively reveal that Okowa did not sign any form for both Gusau and Adeleye.
Our source revealed that Gusau signed the two forms which the electoral committee rejected ostensibly because the NOC, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and World Athletics recognise the Okowa-led board elected on June 14, 2021 in Abuja as the authentic and legitimate board of the AFN.
‘Gusau signed the two forms. he wrote a petition against (Tonobok) Okowa and a court judgment against Okowa was sent by his lawyer to the electoral Committee. The two of them have been disqualified.’ said our source.
Gusau has challenged in a court in Abuja the June 14, 2021 AFN Elective Congress in Abuja which produced Okowa and 12 other executive board members, claiming his elective congress held in Kebbi on the same day is the authentic congress and should be so recognised.
The case came up for hearing in october and has been adjourned to February 2023.
SportsNow further scooped that one of the conestants has obtained a court injunction to stop the election following his disqualification by the electoral committee.
