AFN Congress retires Ogba, Nesiama, Gusau, others from AFN Board; sets up 7-Man Electoral Committee

In a move that may likely be challenged in court, the Congress of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, rose from its meeting on Thursday in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa state to re-affirm the disqualification of members who have served for three terms on the board of the Federation from contesting for a fourth time.

Article 17.2 says ‘the maximum number of terms of office for any member of the Executive Board is three (3) terms, and that of the President, the maximum term is three (3) terms.’

This means some high ranking members of the current board of the Federation and two former Presidents of the Federation have been barred from ever becoming members of the executive board again unless the provision is amended.

Former Presidents of the Federation, Shehu Ibrahim Gusau and Solomon Ogba have been retired from coming back to the board of the Federation in any capacity.

Also retired, so to say, are the current First Vice President of the Federation, Tafida Gadzama, former two-time Technical sub-committee head of the AFN who is also a member of the current board, Commodore Omatseye Nesiama and a former secretary General of the Federation, Mrs Maria Worphil.

Contrary to the provisions of the AFN Constitution (2023 as amended), the Congress also approved the constitutional of a 7-man Electoral Committee to over see the conduct of elections into the board of the Federation next month.

The composition however runs foul of article 11.1.3 of the AFN Constitution (2023 as amended) which stipulates that ‘the Electoral Committee shall be composed of three members as follows: a. One Chairperson, b. Two members, one of which must be the Secretary General of AFN.’

The constitution of the Electoral Committee also ran foul of Article 11.1.1 of AFN Constitution (2023 as amended) which says ‘an Electoral Committee shall be set up by Congress following a proposal by the Executive Board to oversee the electoral process and evaluate the eligibility of prospective candidates.’

Sportsnow.com.ng gathered that the Board, at its last meeting, did not make any proposal regarding the constitution of the Electoral Committee.

Sportsnow.com.ng was informed that article 11.1.3 of the AFN Constitution (2023 as amended) was unanimously amended at the Congress without taking cognizance of article 29.1.2 and 29.1.3 which deal with how the Constitution of the AFN can be amended.

Article 29.1.2 states that ‘unless it comes from the AFN Board, any proposal to amend the Constitution shall be submitted to the Secretary General by a member State Association at least six (6) months prior to the AFN Congress at which it is to be considered.’

Article 29.1.3 also explains that ‘all proposals as well as recommendations of the Board related to such proposals shall be sent to member state association by the Secretary General at least three (3) months prior to the Congress.’

This procedure was not followed and could render all decision taken at the Bayelsa Congress illegal, null and void.