A row has erupted over the nomination of and alleged withdrawal of Tom Boniface, the Vice-Chairman of Kogi State Athletics Association, from Tuesday’s board elections of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
Boniface alleged that the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, ordered the removal of his name as the state’s nominee for the AFN elections, to make him ineligible for the zonal elections.
But the state government says his earlier nomination did not follow due process in the first place, and Bello did not even have a hand in it.
Boniface, popularly known as “Prince Tom’’, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday that the governor gave the order on Thursday.
He claimed the governor’s action might not be unconnected with his closeness to AVM Saliu Atawodi (rtd.), an aspirant who contested against Bello in the last gubernatorial election.
Boniface said: “It was all because I felicitated with Atawodi on his recent victory at the Appeal Court over allegation of his involvement in an alleged N600 million boat scam while he was in service.
“The governor ordered the removal of my earlier nomination by the state Sports Council, which was done on April 12, and replaced my name with another name on June 8, less than a week to the AFN election.
“This was almost two months after my nomination, after I have duly submitted my nomination to the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports and it was acknowledged by the ministry. It is funny they are now withdrawing my nomination.
“The kind of politics being played by the current Kogi state government is highly regrettable, and it is a disservice to the good people of the state.”
Boniface however said he and his sympathisers were watching to see how two candidates would emerge for a single slot from a state.
He said this was because he had submitted his nomination letter in Abuja on May 4, and his removal was yet to be communicated to him officially and his letter not withdrawn.
While reacting however, the state Commissioner for Sports, Arome Adoji, said Boniface’s earlier nomination did not pass through due process.
He said the state’s Director of Sports issued a letter to Boniface without carrying him and other relevant stakeholders in the ministry along.
Adoji said: “Even if it is in the purview of the Director of Sports to give out such letter, I should be aware of it.
“It is an embarrassment to my office for such a letter to be issued without my consent. Even the Head of Coaches in the ministry also denied knowing that such a letter was issued, and this is wrong.
“This is because two people were contesting for the position, Boniface and Titus Ayodele of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and we agreed on the more qualified person.”
The commissioner said Ayodele was the better candidate as he had a bigger contribution to the development of athletics in the state, even when Boniface has also done his best.
He said it was not in his ways to put sentiments into issues of development, otherwise he could have favoured Boniface, who was his Igala kinsman.
Adoji disclosed that the authentic list of Kogi state nominees in all the federations had been sent to the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports for necessary action.
On the allegation that Governor Bello removed Boniface because of his relationship with Atawodi, the commissioner said it was far from the truth.
Adoji declared: “Governor Bello and Atawodi have no problem. Some people just came out with such falsehood to bring disaffection and set the Igala and Okun people against each other and against the governor.
“He did not even know Boniface, not to talk of fighting him for anything. It is an attempt to discredit his well-rooted reputation and that of the ministry.”
– NAN
