Anger, condemnation trail removal of Gara Gombe from AFN Congress WhatsApp platform

Stakeholders in Nigerian track and field have labelled as autocratic, unlawful, and saddening the removal of the Chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Alhaji Shuaib Gara Gombe from the WhatsApp platform set up for all 36 state chairmen and secretaries affiliated to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN.

Gara Gombe has been at the vanguard of calling the rudderless leadership at the helm of affairs in the AFN to order.

His latest post highlighting the illegality of the Federation’s Annual General Congress held last Saturday in Asaba seemed to have unsettled the AFN board hierarchy, who ordered the administrators of the platform led by the AFN Secretary General, Rita Mosindi to remove the Gombe State Athletics Association Chairman from the platform.

Gara Gombe quoted the relevant sections of the AFN Constitution violated in convening the Congress and declared that any decision taken would be null and void and of no effect.

As if that was not enough, the AFN has now acted with his illegal removal, which is not in conformity with the provision of the AFN Constitution.

Article 19 of the 2023 AFN Constitution (as amended) says only the board of the federation, or the Congress can suspend a member, any of its affiliates and others and stakeholders are wondering where whoever gave the order to remove Gara Gombe derived his power(s) from.

Dare Esan, a veteran journalist who is also a member of the outgoing board of the AFN says the board has not met and was shocked the Congress which was held in Asaba ran foul of article 10.1.5 of the AFN Constitution.

The article states thus: All the documents related to the Congress (reports, programmes proposal etc.) shall be sent to the Secretariat of each State member association at least thirty
(30) days prior to the Congress.

‘I am not aware of any Congress in Asaba because the AFN Constitution is clear on the process and procedure that must be followed. It was on the morning of the so-called Congress that board members were told that the Congress, originally billed to hold on November 30, 2024, has been rescheduled for Saturday December 14, 2024.

‘In fact, this message was sent when a board member expressed surprise that the AFN was set to hold a Congress later that day,’ revealed Dare Esan who blasted the leadership of the AFN for imitating former Ugandan President, Idi Amin who was known more for his acting without regard to laid down rules.

‘I am surprised this is happening. I was once removed from the AFN board WhatsApp platform and I challenged the action because the AFN President, Tonobok Okowa does not possess the power to act at his whims and caprices but as stipulated by the federation’s constitution.’

A member of the Congress also berated the autocratic act.

‘Removing a Congress member from a group is disrespectful and rude. Whose nonsense idea, was it? This attempt to shut somebody’s opinion simply because you disagree with them is disgusting,’ wrote a member of AFN’s Chairmen’s WhatsApp platform.

Another Congress who prefers not to be named for the fear of being persecuted expressed surprise at the way the AFN leadership has been violating the Federation’s constitution.

‘This is the worst AFN board I have seen since I started following the sport of track and field in the 1980s. The board is not just clueless, its leaders have been behaving as if they are above the constitution. This is a shame,’ said the member.

Sources have however told Sportsnow.com.ng that Gara Gombe’s removal may not be unconnected with the petition he sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFFC, on the finances of the AFN, especially how the Premium Trust Bank Sponsorship money has been spent and why the money was not paid into a bank account to be dedicated to service the contract between AFN and the bank.

It was gathered that the concerned individuals have been invited by the anti-graft agency to explain why terms of the contract have been violated like they are violating the relevant sections of the AFN Constitution.