Hon. Ahmed Shuaib Gara-Gombe, sports entrepreneur and chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack Sports Minister, Sen. John Enoh, following the exclusion of top athlete, Favour Ofili, from the 100m event at the ongoing Paris Olympic Games, describing it as national embarrassment.

Gombe, in press statement, suggested Mr. President should impose serious sanctions on the Sports Minister, President, Nigeria Olympic Committee Habu Gumel (NOC) and Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) president, Tonobok Okowa, as deterrent for future abuse.

According to Gombe, “Favour Ofili not listed for the 100m event at Olympics is most unfortunate and serious embarrassment to our nation, also an embarrassment to Mr. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and to all sports stakeholders.”

He stated that he was aware of the initial reactions from the Minister of Sports and also has read statement and reactions on his X handle, insisting that he did not expect such statements from a Minister.

“The negligence, inefficiency, corruption that has eaten deeply into Nigerian Sports are the root cause of this”

“The Sports Minister unfortunately, has promoted corruption in the sports sector that’s why we find ourselves in this mess in AFN.

“Since the Minister took office, he has refused to listen to those who would tell him the truth and the true situations in Nigeria Sports,” he added.

Gombe wondered why the Sports Minister is pushing the blame to AFN, NOC. “Yes! These federations should take the blame, but as the number one sports administrator in the country, he should take all the blame. I put the blame entirely on the door steps of the Minister.

He cannot claim ignorance of the rot in Athletics Federation. In fact, the Ofili case is just an insignificant fraction of the rot, corruption and inefficiency that is going on in the Athletics Federation”

Consequently, in a saner clime, by now, “The Minister Sen. John Enoh, NOC President, Habu Gumel and of course, AFN president Tonobok Okowa should have resigned but because they have no shame, under normal circumstances, they should have resigned immediately they were allegedly found gullible.

“With all that had happened, it would be difficult for the Minister to take any action. If He is to act now Gumel and Okowa should be recalled and sent back home,” he said.

Gombe queried, “Why is it that nobody cared about the psychological effects this action would have on Ofili’s state of mind considering the fact that she is going to represent Nigeria in other events.

No one had also considered the contagious effect the injustice on Ofili will have on other athletes.

“Mr. Present Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done everything possible in providing the funds for the Olympics, every Kobo we asked in sports has been provided though the Minister has failed to account for it when we asked. This is one scandal too many; one negligence, inefficiency too many.”

The former Gombe United Football Club Chairman averred that “Should the minister fail to resign, Mr. President should Sack him immediately.

“And if Mr. President is not ready to sack him, then, we would go to court and request that the minister be sacked. I don’t care about NOC or AFN; I’m concerned about the Sports Minister because he is the architect of this Problem.

“If his statements on his X handle is anything to go by, it’s very embarrassing, talking about Nigeria not the only country having issues similar to Ofili’s case should not have been uttered; Who Cares? Telling Nigerians that AFN and NOC Presidents have not rested since Ofili’s issue came to light is uncalled for. When they supposed to work they were resting. I feel they are resting now.”

Gombe said, “We have a lot of work to do, if all principal actors in this Ofili case fail to resign, Mr. President should sack the minister or send him to another ministry.

The Minister has taken wrong steps so far in all his decisions in sports.

“Engineer Gumel and Okowa should immediately return to Nigeria, they don’t have the moral right to occupy the global space. Meanwhile, Ofili begins her 200m heat on Sunday.” (Daily Independent)

Update news