From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Following 20 petitions filed by aggrieved persons to the Appeals Committee seeking cancellation of the elections conducted into the Sports Federations, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has ordered for fresh elections into five Federations.
The election conducted on June 13 at the main bowl of the Abuja National Stadium was marred by crisis and irregularities resulting in delegates petitioning the Electoral Appeals Committee over the injustices melted on them.
According to the resolutions of the committee upheld by the Ministry, the sports federations to go into fresh elections fixed for July 7 include the Athletics Federation of Nigeria(AFN), Taekwondo Federation, Gymnastics, Weightlifting and Rugby federations, just as the committee threw out the petition from the defeated former president of the Cricket federation, Emeka Onyeama.
Chairman of the committee who doubles as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Abdulrazak Salau, maintained the cancellation and order for fresh election into the AFN became necessary after thorough investigation, adding that Brown Ebewele, Rosa Collins, Charity Opara Anozie, Solomon Ogba have been reinstated as delegates.
The committee further noted that Dele Oguntokun, representative of Darts’ Coaches, Professor Morakinyo Babatunde of Volleyball, Osun State representatives on Weightlifting board, Louis Okoro and Sule Warmara- Dart sponsor have also been reinstated on their boards.
They maintained that Rugby Federation which did not hold election as directed will now have their elections duly supervised by the International Rugby Federation according to its tenet.