The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, has named former Africa and Commonwealth long jump champion Yusuf Ali as the head of the organising committee for the 2023 Nigerian track and field championships scheduled to hold next month at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin City, capital of Edo state.
Sportsnow gathered that some of the board members were shocked by the announcement conveyed to them via email like school children.
‘This is what we have been saying about our President acting like a dictator. He just told the Secretary General to tell us via email that a committee has been set up for the championships,’ said Tafida Gadzama, the first Vice President of the federation.
Gadzama’s claim was corroborated by Dare Esan, also a member of the federation.
In the message conveyed to members, Ali was named to replace last year’s head of the organising committee, Solomon Ogba, a two-time President of the federation.
Also named are Samuel Onikeku (technical director), Victor Okorie (performance director), Navy Comdr Nesiama Omatseye, Prof. Ken Anugweje, Enefiok Udo-Obong,
Maria Wophill, Henry Okorie, Solomon Aliyu and Rita Mosindi, the AFN Secretary General.