Delegates and newly elected board members of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) have started arriving in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, ahead of the much-anticipated presidential election of the Association.
The AFN presidential election, which has suffered multiple setbacks and a shift in date and venue, is scheduled for Thursday in Abuja.
The polls were initially scheduled for Asaba, Delta , on the 31st of May, but the last Extraordinary Congress of the AFN in Abeokuta shifted them to the 12th of June.
This was after the National Sports Commission (NSC) advised that the elections be moved from Asaba to a neutral venue in Abuja since, at that time, three of the four known presidential aspirants were from Delta.
Following the advice, which was more of a directive from the NSC, one of the aspirants, a former Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence, retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, strategically pulled out of the race.
Another aspirant, Constantine Ikpokpo, fondly called Malik, was comprehensively beaten at the South-South Zonal by Gabriel Okon in an election conducted by Braveman Wodi in Benin City, Edo State.
Another person eyeing the prestigious and highly esteemed office of AFN president, Sunday Adeleye, is still struggling to get a slot on the new AFN board from the North West Zone.
His name will not likely be on the ballot on Thursday as the powerful Electoral Appeal Committee has yet to judge his case.
This was after he lost the North West Zonal election to Ladan Zurmi from Zamfara State.
Another zonal election to the board of the AFN that is far from settled is the Southeast representative, with two candidates fighting for the sole ticket from the land of the rising sun.
It’s a massive battle before the Election Appeal Committee between the AFN Performance Director, Victor Okorie, a former athlete seeking re-election to the board, and another former athlete, Innocent Iheme.
Similarly, the election for the technical officials and coaches representative on the AFN Board, a contest between Solomon Aliyu and Lucas Ogunjimi, is yet to be concluded.
The first round of voting resulted in a 26-26 tie, and the second round also failed to produce a winner, finishing 11-11 in another deadlock.
With no clear winner, the contest now shifts to Abuja, where a final decision will be made on Wednesday.
The heated and controversial election of the National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS) produced a former quarter-miler, Fatima Yusuf, as their representative on the new look AFN board.
Yusuf may also be vying for the position of second Vice President of the Federation.
However, the election into the AFN board may be challenged due to the winner’s eligibility.
The elections of the athletes’ representatives and the representatives of the National Association of Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance (NAPHER-SD) have yet to be decided.
Meanwhile, Tonobok Okowa, seeking re-election, is set to secure a second term ticket as the AFN president.
He is confident that the work, reforms, and programmes that he and the current AFN board have implemented and are building on will go a long way toward helping him secure a second term.
Also, the Federation’s Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, who helped drive AFN’s policies and programs, won his election to the board again.
For the next four years, he is expected to build on the success story so far and accelerate other new initiatives of the Athletes’ body.
As Technical Director, Onikeku oversees the technical aspects of AFN’s operations, including athlete development, coaching, and competitions.
Former athletes dominate the new AFN board; Olalekan Stephen Soetan, Gabriel Okon, Olufemi Sule, and Fatima Yusuf have secured their seats.
It is a scenario that athletics stakeholders consider a welcome development for the federation.