The chairman of Jigawa State Athletics Association (JSAA), who is also the chairman of chairmen in charge of athletics in the north of Nigeria, Mohammed Adamu, says they are fully backing the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Tonobok Okowa and the AFN Board.
Mohammed Adamu came out with this stand on Wednesday shortly after the chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Shuaib Ahmed Gara Gombe claimed the AFN Congress may move against it’s President, Chief Tonobok Okowa.
Adamu stated that his Gombe State counterpart Alhaji Shuaib Ahmed Gara Gombe, is very economical with the truth and his comment does not represent the northern region or any state of the Federation as well as key stakeholders of the sport.
Gara Gombe, claimed that about 15 members of the AFN Congress met in Kaduna over the weekend and have scheduled another meeting for Akure, the Ondo State capital, in the coming weeks to map out plans to unseat Chief Okowa.
Adamu explained that Gara Gombe’s statement and meeting is a figment of his imagination and innuendoes that was dead even before it was vomited.
Mr. Adamu said the Jigawa State Athletics Association or any of the States in the northern region, were not aware or part of any such meeting.
“I am the Chairman of Jigawa Athletics Association and the Chairman of all Chairmen in charge of athletics in northern Nigeria. I can tell you that no meeting of such took place in Kaduna. There is no way a meeting concerning athletics will hold in the North without my consent. All they said are pure lies,” Adamu said.
The allegations and claims by Gara Gombe in the online publication is the latest move by a very small and insignificant persons associated with athletics to throw spanner in a well oiled, dynamic and focused AFN board under the excellent stewardship of President Okowa, who is also a Vice President of Confederation African Athletics,(CAA).
The AthIetics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), said, “These are just disgruntled individuals trying to create crisis when there is none.”
“We are focused on preparing our athletics for the African Games next month and the Olympics later in July.
These small group of individuals are not happy we are moving the Federation and the sport forward despite the challenges.”
“It’s noteworthy to mention that the 13th African Games Athletics Federation of Nigeria Trials in Asaba, Delta State, South South Nigeria, was a huge successful and the athletes gave key stakeholders and keen followers of athletics hope for an impressive run in Ghana during the Games next month”,
Already the Federation has opened it’s camp in Abuja for the final phase of it’s camping program and build up toward the African Games with 33 athIetes in attendance. 17 men in 10 events and 16 women in 11 disciplines.
Meanwhile, the Boss of AFN, who is also the chairman of Delta State Sports Commission (DSSC), Chief Tonobok Okowa says he or the AFN that has the mandate of Nigeria, will never give in to blackmail or intimidation of any kind.
“The author of the online story that the AFN Congress will be holding very soon, had tried to blackmail AFN president after his failed bid to get the sum of six million naira set up and manage AFN’s social media accounts”,
“For your information, the President of AFN, Tonobok Okowa and some other members of the Nigeria athletics governing body with the approval of the Board had lend over forty million naira to fund some of it’s programs and competitions between 2022 and 2023. Part of the said funds has been refunded to the President and members involved”,
“It’s surprising and shocking to note that the AFN Vice President Tafida Gadzama, who was part of the Board that solicited for the loan from Chief Tonobok Okowa and some other members wants them to convert the loan into gift item for the Federation, an idea that the lenders have since thrown under the bus”.
Source/Maxwell Kumoye/WhatsApp
