AFN Board asked to resolve in-fighting, allegation of corruption, diversion of funds or face consequences from Congress

Chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe has tasked the Board of the AthIetics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, to amicably
resolve lingering issues including that of corruption, misappropriation and diversion of sponsor’s funds before it’s too late.

Gombe said members of the AFN Congress have taken keen interest in the in-fighting going on among AFN Board Members and wants it resolved in the interest of athletes and other stakeholders.

‘We members of Congress of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria have been most tolerant with the Board. As at today, the Board have placed the entire
federation into moral and credibility crisis.

‘We have kept quiet not because we don’t know what to do, not because we are cowards, not because we don’t know our authority but we tried to give peace a chance to see if the Board could retrace its steps but the more we look the other way, the more the Board’s in-fighting continues unabated,’ said Gombe in a press sattement on Saturday.

Gombe insisted that should the AFN Board delay in addressing the issues, there would be consequences of unimaginable magnitude from Congress
members.

‘The stinking smell of corruption, lack of accountability, transparency, unity, good governance oozing out from the Board of AFN is not only unimaginable but
unprecedented.

‘Very soon we (Congress) will give the Board an ultimatum to fix all these mess going on among themselves, failure to do that will amount to a unified and
sustained revolt from the Congress with a view to taking back our Federation.’

“Be informed that it’s not all Congress members the board can influence or throw crumbs at. Many of us are well established and comfortable.

‘We all know how some of them became Board members. We also know THEIR contributions to Athletics or lack of it but above all, we are the Congress and authority lies with us. Those who have ears let them hear,’ Gombe said.

It would be recalled some aggrieved board members have accused the AFN leadership of over-protecting the federation’s Secretary General, Rita Mosindi who was
indicted in an AFN audit report to have mismanaged the federation’s funds.

The audit report also asked Tonobok Okowa, the federation’s President to return the 40m naira he was paid as refund for some events he ‘sponsored.’

Okowa claimed the money he used to ‘sponsor’ the events was a loan to the federation but there was no record and no agreement to authenticate the claim.

The events he ‘sponsored’ were held before the agreement with Premium Trust Bank was signed.

The aggrieved members also frowned at the ‘borrowing of Premium Trust Bank money’ as well as using the money to pay for visa fees and accommodation for the
World Athletics Championships.