NSC set September dates for National Sports Federations elections, releases Guidelines
Elections into some National Sports Federations, NSF, will hold in September, according to the timeline released Tuesday by the National Sports Commission.
The Commission has also released the Guidelines for the election which outline details for the conduct of elections into the Sports Federations to ensure that only qualified, credible, and passionate individuals are elected to serve.
The guideline spells out the composition of the respective NSF Boards, Eligibility of Membership, Election Regulations, Electoral Committees, Elections Petition Committee, Electoral Appeals Committee, Inauguration, etc.
According to the Guidelines, each NSF shall be composed of 13 members made up of the following: The President, Vice President and 11 other members or as provided for in their relevant constitution or statute as well as a Secretary General who is the secretary of the Board but not an elected member of the Board.
The Guideline also states that membership of each NSF Board shall be drawn from the following constituencies:
Six (6) Zonal Representatives (each representing a Geo-Political zone in the country); One (1) Athletes’ Representative of the Sport; One (1) Coach Representative or Officiating Official (Technical Bodies of the Sport) and One (1) Representative of Military/Para-Military Sports.
Others are One (1) Representative of International Sports body of the Sport, One (1) Representative of the National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS), One (1) Representative of National Association of Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHER-SD) and One (1) Philanthropist or an Ex-officio member or Sponsor.
The NSC also released a proposed timeline for the elections.
1.Deadline for setting up of Electoral Committees by National Sports Federations-15th June, 2025
2.Release of Nomination Forms 1st August, 2025
3.Deadline for Submission of Nomination Forms- 4th August, 2025
4 Submission of Names of Representatives of all Constituencies except Zonal Representatives- 7th August, 2025
5.Verification of the Names of Representatives of all Constituencies except Zonal Representatives- 8th August, 2025
6.Zonal Representatives Elections ( Zonal HQs)- 9th August, 2025
7.Hearing of Petitions and Appeal arising from Zonal Elections- 12th August, 2025
8.Bye-Elections arising from Petitions Zonal Elections- 14th August, 2025
9.National Elections (MKO National Stadium)- 1st – 15th September, 2025
10 Inauguration of National Sports Federation Board- 1st – 15th September, 2025
11. Hearing of Petitions and Appeal arising from National Elections- 16th – 26th September, 2025
12 Bye-Elections arising from Petitions on National Elections(If any)- 30th September, 2025
Curiously, hearing of petitions and appeal arising from the elections will be held after the board of the concerned NSF must have been inaugurated.
Also, most of what is contained in the guidelines contrast with what the constitution of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, contains.
