AFN Crisis: Sports Ministry heads to Supreme Court

By Olalekan Okusan

Unsatisfied with the decision of the Appeal Court on the crisis rocking the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has decided to take the case to the Supreme Court.

However, the embattled President of AFN, Ibrahim Gusau is seeking an amicable resolution  on the crisis rocking the federation.

According to a source in the Ministry’s legal department, the ministry was utterly shocked at the outcome of the Appeal and is hoping to take the case to the apex court.

“What do you expect?” the source queried. “This individual sued the minister and the ministry in the first instance dragging them through the courts after he shunned all panels and processes put in place to resolve the matter.”

There are indications that the ministry is already in touch with two SANs who will handle the matter.

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Since last year, Gusau has been in loggerhead with some members of the AFN board who suspended him in December over his leadership style. The aggrieved board members also appointed the Vice President, Olamide George as acting President, while alleging that Gusau has been running federation illegally against the resolution of 9 members of the 13 board membership and the constitution of the Federation.

Meanwhile,  NationSport  learnt Gusau is  now making frantic efforts to meet the Minister of Youth and Sports Development to resolve the crisis in line with the counsel of World Athletics (WA).

“As I am speaking with you, Gusau is concerned about the athletes and he is making efforts to meet the Minister so that the crisis can be resolved amicably just like the WA advised in the letter sent to the Minister last month,” a reliable source who pleaded anonymity told NationSport. “He believes  the lingering crisis will surely dampen the spirit of the athletes heading to the year of the Olympics and he would soon send a letter to the minister to seek an audience so that the impasse can be brought to an end as soon as possible.”