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Sports entrepreneur and Chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Hon Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe, has explained reasons he petitioned EFCC over alleged financial improprieties in the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), and the director general of National Sports Commission (NSC) Hon. Bukola Olopade’s involvement
“Having not been satisfied with the explanations offered and also not satisfied with the position taken by AFN itself, I want an independent body to investigate the AFN financial activities. That’s the reason for the petition to EFCC,” he said.
Gombe, in a chat with journalists in Abuja recently, said he issued a statement to a letter received from lawyers of Hon. Bukola Olopade, the NSC DG, giving him seven days ultimatum to delete, apologise and retract a statement he allegedly made against their clients (Olopade) in the social media about an on-going petition with the EFCC.
“I sent the letter to my lawyers who studied and advised accordingly and in response to their letter, I said, Let’s meet in court, I am not going to retract, delete or apologise. It is more than one month I have not heard from them.”
The former Gombe Football Association Chairman insisted that the error Olopade and his lawyers made was that “I did nothing to defame him.”
“Olopade was under investigation and failed to respond to investigators and investigators failed to apply the law for persons who failed to honour summons.
“I want the public to know I’m not going to compromise on this matter and Hon. Olopade should understand that I have no problem with him, rather he created problems between us, the petition did not mention his name.
“As a stakeholder, and member of the Congress of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, I have rights to demand for financial statements of the federation.
“I did not petition them as chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association; I petitioned as chairman of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) recognised by law. One of our mandates is to ensure accountability, transparency and good governance in athletics and other sports in Nigeria.
“This also includes any stakeholder and organisations we have rights under the law to bring such persons to book for national interest,” he said.
According to him, Hon. Olopade was inviting trouble when he instructed his lawyers to send me that kind of letter and I hope, I will not consume him. Before then, he has been sending private messages to me. I have a message where Hon.Olopade invited me to a meeting. I didn’t even have his number, but when I asked who is this, “I asked you for a meeting.
“I gave him time and where we can meet based on his request, he kept me waiting for two weeks. When I asked him why he kept me waiting, he said, he thought I am the one to call him back.
“I told him no, you are getting it wrong, you are a public servant, don’t behave that way, I’m advising you, don’t behave that way.
“Hon. Olopade also threatened me in a message, but I kept it, there would be a time to let it out. If Olopade thinks too high about himself, I am not afraid of you people.
“For over 25 years in sports, I have not been afraid of threats on my life, investigation of any kind has been carried out against me but nothing was found on me, nothing.
“My conscience is very clear, anybody in the sports sector who feels Gara Gombe must be silenced, you are making a huge mistake.
“This is a gathering storm, hope it won’t consume everybody. Again, my petition to EFCC was not pointing at Hon. Olopade.
“The petition was actually directed at AFN President Tonobok Okowa and former Secretary, Rita Mosindi. These are the two people, but there’s no way these two would be investigated without Olopade’s involvement as an agent to the federation.
“At the time this happened you were the substantive Managing Director of Nilayo Sports Marketing Company and you can’t deny it.”
Hon. Gara- Gombe also discussed and revealed more facts behind his petition against AFN.
“Note that immediately, the former AFN scribe Rita Mosindi was removed they have gone back to same old ways.
“The new secretary sent State Athletics Association letters for registration/subscription, asking them to make payments or dues into a private bank account.
“This is a secretary that was posted just recently to AFN, they have started giving him different orientations.
“Gombe State Athletics Association under my watch will not pay a dime into any private account.
“If they like, they should refuse registering Gombe in any competition then, they would see problem, we are ready to pay, definitely not into a private account.
“We have continued to emphasise that AFN doesn’t have an account, instead of opening one, they are directing members to put money in a private account.
“Again, the AFN Congress in Asaba was an illegal one, decisions taken there cannot stand, because I raised that issue, I was removed from the platform of Athletics Association Chairmen till today.
“AFN made a costly mistake by delisting me, like I said, something will happen in Athletics Federation of Nigeria very soon.”
He cautioned the NSC DG to desist from calling him, “If you want to engage me, its your problem.
“You have threatened me by sending messages, that’s your problem.
I have warned Olopade not to call me again and I hope he would stop. I can tell you there’s no expiring date to justice.
The way things are going, it may even consume NSC itself. The NSC as presently constituted is operating illegally.
The ct establishing NSC says it must have a board; right now, there’s no board.
We have those operating as sole administrators with clashing functions.
“Where is the board? Even people there want to operate as executive chairman, but the law subsists until it is amended, at the moment, it has not been amended,”Gombe said.
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