By Uzor Odigbo
A former federal lawmaker, Ibrahim Shehu Gusau has been told to stop parading himself as president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) following his removal as the representative of the North West zone on the executive board of the federation.
‘Gusau was duly removed as our representative on the executive board of the AFN at our meeting last month in Kaduna’, says Alhaji Ahmed Ahidjo Isa Kaita, chairman of Katsina State Athletics Association.
‘The congress of the North West Athletics Association recalled Gusau for acts inimical to the growth of the sport in the zone in particular and Nigeria in general,’ Kaita added, revealing that the zone has written to the AFN intimating the national governing body for the sport of developments in the zone.
‘We have informed the AFN of the exercise of our constitutional right of recall since we elected him (Gusau) in the first place.The AFN constitution is also clear on who can become a zonal representative and the fact that no two elected members can come from the same zone.
Article 8.1.5 of the AFN constitution is also clear on this. For the avoidance of doubt, the articles states thus: Not more than one elected member from the zone shall be on the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria,’said Kaita.
The AFN executive board member says Gusau’s removal has invalidated his position as president of the AFN.
‘For you to qualify to be voted for or remain as president of the AFN, you must be elected and/or nominated as a member of the executive board of the federation and since Gusau has ceased to be a member of the executive board of the federation, there is no way he can remain as president. The AFN constitution also provides for just 13 elected executive board members.’
When reminded that a Federal Court of Appeal in Abuja last month reaffirmed Gusau’s presidency of the AFN, Alhaji Kaita said the relief he (Gusau) got at the court was against his impeachment by the executive board of the AFN while what the North West Athletics Association congress comprising all the seven state chairmen in the zone did was to recall him as their representative.
‘Remember we elected him and have now recalled him. He should thus stop parading himself as a member of the board of AFN and by extension as president of the AFN.”
