The crisis rocking the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, AFN, continues on Monday as two presidents emerged in the elections held in Abuja and another in Birnin Kebbi by two waring factions,
The released from Abuja says Okowa Tonobok was elected unopposed while Engr Ibrahim Shehu Gusau was re-elected President of the ‘Athletics Federation at the 2021 Elective Congress held in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State on Monday June 14’.
He polled 20 votes while Uche Muoma got just two votes from the 22 delegates present at the venue as he emerged the favoured candidate to lead the federation for the next four years .
Speaking after his victory in Abuja, Okowa affirmed that his mandate as President would prioritise athletes and coaches welfare.
Okowa said:”First of all, my mandate is all about the Athletes and Coaches, we’ll make sure we give them an enabling environment to succeed, we will give priority to welfare package. We have to draw up our programs and ensure we do proper budget especially the one that will favour the Athletes and Coaches and ensure they excel”
In his own acceptance speech, Engr Gusau thanked the delegates for their support in making his first term a success while counting on their continued support for the next 4 years.
“This is really humbling. I will like to thank all the delegates for finding time to come to Kebbi in the face of intimidation.
“We call on everybody to join hands with us to build athletics because the 14 of us cannot do it alone.
He revealed that, “Very soon, we will be constituting Commissions to oversee the daily affairs of the federation while we have time to face other serious matters.”
He thanked the World Athletics and the Confederation of African Athletics for their continued support as he hopes for stronger ties with the two bodies.
