BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
A group known as United Sports Stakeholders has advised the incumbent President of the Nigeria Olympic NOC, Habu Gumel to perish the plan to seek re-election into the office for the fifth time and allow young, vibrant and dynamic individuals to succeed him.
The group in a statement issued and signed by its spokesman, Comrade Sylvanus Ofekun, described Gumel’s ambition as despicable.
“Following several media channels report, the incumbent President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel, is seeking re-election into the same office for the fifth time. This is to say the least, despicable.
“His complacency and reprehensible laxity laced with his lack of transparency are some of the attributes he has displayed since his first election as President of the NOC, which has grounded sports in Nigeria.
“For instance, in the last 16 years of presiding over the NOC, no visible improvement has been recorded nor a clear-cut direction offered to the NOC,” the statement reads.
The statement alleged that Nigeria has lost its congress membership at the International Olympic Committee, IOC, because of Gumel’s age.The group also raised alarm over the corruption allegation against him at the continental level.
“Under the leadership of Gumel, Nigeria lost her Congress membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He attained membership of the IOC in 2009 and became ineligible to continue after attaining the mandatory 70 years of age on April 1st, 2019.
“According to Rule 16.3.3.1 of the Olympics Charter, an IOC Member ceases to be a Member at the end of the calendar year during which he reaches the age of 70.
“At the continental level, Gumel alongside the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Mustapha Berraf are facing corruption allegations which both of them are yet to deny.” The statement also reads.
The statement concludes by advising the NOC President to allow a breathe of fresh air.
“Since he is no longer relevant at the international level, couple with the fact that NOC has failed in its responsibilities under Gumel’s presidency, we therefore appeal that he rests his ambition for younger, vibrant, dynamic and result oriented individuals to via for the office of the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and bring breathe of fresh air into that office.” The statement concludes.
