NAN-S-19
Protest
By Dorcas Jonah
Abuja, July 20, 2017(NAN) Scores of delegates on Thursday protested against the postponement of the National Sports Federation elections slated for Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the angry delegates took the protest to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and later proceeded to the National Assembly.
Tolu Makinde, Director of Information of the ministry, had announced the postponement at the Abuja National Stadium, venue of the election after some federations had concluded their accreditation.
Nobody addressed the protesters at the ministry as all the directors were not available.
The protesters were also refused entrance into the National Assembly premises where they, however, agreed to reconvene on Friday.
Earlier, Famons Daunemigha, one of the contestants in Volleyball from South South zone, said it was wrong to cancel the election without cogent reason.
“This is why we have trekked to the ministry for the minister to tell us why the elections were cancelled.
“The cancellation is unacceptable because people have come from far and near and the logistic of taking people back is demanding.
“ There is nothing on ground that suggested the cancellation. It is two or three per cent of people that know they will lose the election that have instigated the postponement and we will not agree,’’ he said.
Rose Collins, another contestant in athletics, said cancelling an election after delegates had concluded accreditation, was wrong.
“We are supposed to hold the elections today and just as accreditation was concluded, we were told elections are cancelled. We have come a long way and cancellation is not an option.
“ I don’t know if the minister is afraid of me (Rose Collins) contesting the election,’’ she said.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports conducted elections into 31 National Sports Federations on June 12.
But elections into four federations were canceled by the Petition and Appeal Committee and July 7 was fixed as a new date.
The latest postponement of the by-election was the third time in seven weeks.(NAN)
DE/DS/IA
(Edited by Idris Abdulrahman)