The re-run of elections into four National Sports Federations’ boards will now hold on July 12, the National Sports Federations Elections’ Petitions/Appeals Committee said on Tuesday in Abuja.
Chairman of the Committee, Abdulrazak Salau, said in a statement that the affected federations were those of Athletics, Gymnastics, Wrestling and Taekwondo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fre-run elections were earlier scheduled for this Friday, after last Friday’s conclusion of consideration of all petitions and appeals.
Salau said the large number of petitions which trailed the June 13 elections at the Abuja National Stadium was overwhelming and his committee needed more time to attend to them.
“We have had a lot of activities since the Appeals Committee gave its verdict on June 30.
“The Committee has been bombarded with petitions and complaints from these Federations, including Rugby which was yet to hold its elections.
“It has thus become necessary for us to shift the election re-run date by five days to enable the monitoring bodies, including the Election Committees, to conclude the screening and verification of candidates to ensure that what happened in the first elections does not repeat itself,’’ he said.
The committee chairman said he and his members had been very careful to also ensure that candidates complied with the guidelines and present the right documents for verification.
“Thereafter, the master list will be published for all to see before the bye-elections,’’ he said.
According to Salau, fresh presidential elections are to hold in Athletics, Taekwondo, Wrestling and Gymnastics.
He added that zonal elections would hold in Judo (South-West), Athletics (South-East and North-West) and Taekwondo (South-West).
“All Zonal, Vice-Presidential and Presidential elections will hold in the Rugby Federation, also on July 12,’’ the committee chairman said.
Salau, who is the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports, disclosed that the inauguration of all the Federations would now hold on July 20 at the Abuja National Stadium.
NAN reports that the inauguration was earlier slated for July 13, before being moved to July 10.(NAN)
DE/OLAL