The crisis rocking the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) will linger as the renewed attempt by the embattled AFN president, Ibrahim Shehu Gusau for reconciliation have met a brick-wall.
LEADERSHIP Sports gathered that the minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare shunned Gusau’s new request for amicable resolution of the crisis, following the dismissal of the appeal filed at the appellate court by the ministry of Youth and Sports Development challenging the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which affirmed Gusau as the AFN president.
Gusau, in a letter dated September 18, 2020 and received by the minister’s office on September 25, 2020, sought for a date that would be convenient for the minister to brief him on the activities of AFN and other burning issues that led to the perceived strained relationship with him (Gusau).
“I write to request for a date to pay a courtesy visit to your office in solidarity with your vision to develop sports in Nigeria. It will also afford me the opportunity to brief you on the activities of AFN as well as on all other burning issues that affect AFN, which had led to misinformation and the perceived strain with your esteemed office,” Gusau’s letter read in part.
According to the ministry’s source, Gusau also stated in the letter that the courtesy visit will enable him to clarify all issues concerning the administration of AFN.
“I believe that the courtesy visit will enable me clarify all issues the minister may wish to raise, especially as it affects the administration of the AFN under my leadership. There has been a lot of misinformation and maligning of both person and office as President of the AFN.”
The ministry’s source said the minister’s rejected the reconciliation move and directed the legal department of the ministry of Youth and Sports Development to challenge the Appeal Court ruling that affirmed Gusau as AFN president at the apex court.
LEADERSHIP Sports recalls that the ministry and Gusau-led AFN had been at loggerheads after a faction led by Olamide George suspended Gusau as the AFN president. Gusau dragged the ministry and George’s faction to the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the court ruling that he remained the AFN president. The Appeal Court also affirmed the High Court ruling throwing out the sports ministry’s appeal for lack of merit on September 25.
The ministry’s source said the minister was not happy with the Appeal Court’s decision to affirm Gusau as AFN president and has approached two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to lead the ministry’s legal team at the supreme Court.
