Court sacks George, reinstates Gusau as AFN president ... Sports ministry to appeal judgement
The Federal High Court Abuja has affirmed that Engr. Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau remains the president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), while sacking the board led by Olamide George.
In his ruling on Wednesday July 1, Hon. Justice A. I. Chikere said that only the President of the athletics federation had the powers to call a congress and appoint a Technical Director.
The court therefore nullified the purported suspension and subsequent impeachment of Gusau as well as all other actions and resolutions taken by the Olamide George’s led AFN.
The court also reinstated Sunday Adeleye as the Technical Director while declaring that the purported appointment of Olamide George as Acting President of the AFN is a nullity and went ahead to set it aside.
It will be recalled the AFN became enmeshed in crisis when George led faction assumed the leadership of the federation in December 2019 after holding an emergency board meeting.
The faction noted the violation of the Athletics Federation’s Constitution by the president who allegedly usurped the powers and functions of the secretary-general by changing the password of the AFN email account as well as entering into an agreement with sportswear giants, Puma without formal documentation.
Following his removal, Gusua then headed to court to seek redress which manifested in yesterday’s ruling by the Federal High Court Abuja.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development said it will appeal the decision.
The Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare and three others are respondents in the case.
A statement issued yesterday by the ministry’s legal department and signed by the director, Danjuma Muhammad said “the judgement is a declaratory Judgement and the ministry has a right of appeal within 90 days.
“This civil matter has nothing to do with all the criminal allegations against Gusau before the various investigating agencies.
“The ministry will explore its rights of appeal within the statutory period allowed for appeal while both parties will maintain status quo Ante”.