HFN Athletes’ Rep: It’s A Fight To Better The Lot Of Players, Says Abua

Former Nigerian international and the claimant in the suit that sacked Udale Joseph Haruna as  Athletes’ Representative on the board of Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) six month after his election, Sammy Abua, has vowed  to fight on should Udalle decide to appeal his sacking by an FCT High Court.

Abua, who spoke on Radio Nigeria’s flagship magazine programme, Sports Spectacular, on Saturday, said he has abundant evidence to prove that the former secretary general of HFN,  Mohammed Maigidansama, erred by unilaterally manipulating the electoral code released by the Sports Ministry for the September 2021 in favour of one of the contestants.

He said he is fully braced up to follow through the litigation, by presenting verifiable facts and figures; knowing that it is a fight to better the lot of players and not for personal gains.

“These struggles are geared towards giving handball players in the country the recognition they duly deserve as the current HFN board has not done enough to either give the players a voice, or cater for their welfare and wellbeing,” Abua said.

On allegation that he was being propelled to destabilise the Sam Ocheho led HFN Board, Abua dismissed it as unfounded rumour and warned that he is ready to follow the matter to its logical conclusion until justice is done.

An FCT High Court sitting in Nyanya and presided over by Justice Alfred Okpe had on Monday, January 16, 2023 nullified the election of Joseph Udalle as HFN players’ representative, and ordered fresh election to be conducted within 30 days.

The judge also awarded N500,000:00 as cost against Maigidansama, and in favour of the claimant; but Mr. Udalle had vowed to appeal the ruling, saying it was a miscarriage of justice.