AFN election: Delegates arrive in Abuja as Okowa eyes re-election
Delegates and newly elected board members of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) have begun arriving in Abuja ahead of the highly anticipated presidential election scheduled for this Thursday.
Originally planned for May 31 in Asaba, Delta State, the election date and venue were changed to June 12 in Abuja following advice from the National Sports Commission. The move aimed to ensure neutrality since three of the four presidential candidates were from Delta State.
Retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, a former Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence, has withdrawn from the race. Another aspirant, Constantine Itiako Ikpokpo, also known as Malik, lost the South-South Zonal polls to Gabriel Okon in Benin City.
Sunday Adeleye, vying for a position from the North West zone, faces uncertainty as the Electoral Appeal Committee has yet to rule on his appeal after losing to Ladan Abubakar Zurmi from Zamfara State. His name may not appear on the ballot.
The South East representative election remains unresolved, with two former athletes, Victor Okorie and Innocent Ugochukwu Iheme, contesting the sole seat. The matter is currently before the Election Appeal Committee.
The contest for the technical officials and coaches representative between Solomon Aliyu and Professor Lucas Ogunjimi remains deadlocked. Both rounds of voting ended in ties, and a final decision is expected in Abuja.
Fatima Yusuf, former quarter-miler and NAWIS representative, was elected to the new board amid eligibility controversies. She is also a potential candidate for the position of second Vice President of the Federation.
Other newly elected board members include Soetan Olalekan Stephen, Okon Gabriel, Adamu Babayo, Sule Olufemi Oladimeji, Samuel Onikeku, Chief Tonobok Okowa, Retired Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, and Israel Inyang as Secretary General.
