NSC, Sports Federations set on Collison course over elections

The National Sports Commission and some of the National Sports Federations will be on collision course over the conduct of elections into the latter slated for later this year.

NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, said in a television interview monitored by our correspondent that his Commission is structuring the governance structure of the Sports Federations and will set up a governance code that will guide the operations of the Sports Federations.

Dikko also revealed the NSC will set up criteria for those contesting into the Sports Federations, especially those who want to become Presidents of the Sports Federations.

‘We are trying to bring in a proper governance structure, a governance code for the federations so that their structure will be fit for the purpose. We want to reform the structure of the federations with a view to bringing in the right people to come and contest as presidents.

‘We are bringing in the framework that will allow only the right people can contest for the president of the federations, it cannot be al all-comers affairs again,’ Dikko said in the interview.

Sportsnow.com.ng can report that NSC has been given the power by the NSC Act 2023 to regulate the affairs of the Sports Federations.

This however runs contrary to the international Sports Federations’ governance structure which each of the member federations must abide with.

NSC’s intention may be viewed as interference by a third party in the affairs of the Sports Federations.

In 2021, John Ridgeon, World Athletics’ Chief Executive Officer, wrote the then Federal Minister of Sports Development, Sunday Dare that only the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, could solve its own internal crisis and not a third party which the Sports Ministry (now NSC) represents.

The same scenario played out during elections into the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, where FIBA warned the Sports Ministry to stop meddling in the affairs of the Federation.

Instructively, both the AFN and NBBF conducted their elections based on their respective Constitution and not the usual guidelines issued by the Sports Ministry.

Dare Esan, a member of the outgoing board of the AFN believes those who drafted the NSC Act signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 acted without taking into cognizance the demand of the International Sports Federations and acted like the old Sports Ministry people who arrogated all powers to themselves regarding the organization and structure of the Sports Federations.

‘I think the act should be amended to align with the international sports federations governance structure. If this is done, the NSC, will realize they don’t need the large numbers of redundant people who are only active during international competitions where they usurp the functions and powers of Sports Federation officials,’ said Esan.

Esan agrees with Dikko that the Sports Federations need responsive and responsible leadership and not those who act like dictators and who misappropriate sponsors’ money.