NSC Reaffirms Commitment to Transparent Sports Federation Elections

As anticipation builds ahead of the forthcoming National Sports Federations elections, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has restated its unwavering commitment to ensuring a transparent, credible, and fair process across all federations in the country.

Speaking exclusively, a senior NSC official emphasized that the Commission remains resolute in upholding integrity and due process — despite what was described as “desperate attempts by certain individuals to manipulate outcomes.”

“No amount of intimidation or blackmail will deter us from doing what is right — not just for a few individuals but for all federations,” the official said with conviction.

He further reaffirmed that the rules and regulations guiding each association, in line with the NSC’s election guidelines and national laws, would be strictly enforced to preserve credibility and restore trust in sports administration.

RESTORING FAITH IN NIGERIAN SPORTS

For the NSC, the upcoming elections represent more than a bureaucratic exercise — they are an opportunity to give Nigerian sports a new lease of life.

Transparency, accountability, and institutional reform are the Commission’s guiding principles as it seeks to strengthen governance within the various federations.

According to the official, past elections conducted under NSC supervision “stood the test of fairness and credibility.” Any attempt to subvert due process this time, he warned, would meet with firm resistance.

“We are determined to meet international standards in this process,” the source stressed. “No individual or group will be considered too powerful to operate outside the established rules.”

The NSC also made clear that, after the elections, all federations are expected to run their affairs independently and professionally, free from external influence — a core pillar of the Commission’s broader reform agenda.

JUDOKA GBAYI COMMENDS NSC’s INTERVENTION IN FEDERATION CRISIS

“If not for their timely action, Judo would have fallen into chaos,” he says.

In another development, the Ogun State Judo Association Chairman, Honourable Omoba Segun Gbayi, has thrown his weight behind the NSC’s intervention in the lingering Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) leadership crisis, calling it “timely, lawful, and necessary.”

Reacting to recent accusations by the ousted NJF President, Dr. Musa Oshodi, Gbayi dismissed the claims as “mischief and blackmail” intended to mislead both the public and the international judo community.

“Dr. Oshodi is only trying to remain relevant after losing influence,” Gbayi told First Zealmediacast. “His claims against the NSC and its Director General, Honourable Bukola Olopade, are baseless and dead on arrival.”

A DISPUTED ELECTION AND A BREACH OF TRUST

According to Gbayi, Dr. Oshodi had unilaterally organized an election and sworn in new board members before the expiration of the existing board’s tenure — a clear violation of NJF statutes and democratic norms.

He explained that the NSC had earlier invited Oshodi to resolve issues arising from a self-authored and unapproved constitution, but the former president ignored reconciliation efforts and went ahead with a controversial election held on September 11, 2025.

“That election excluded key stakeholders — from NAWIS and NAPHER-SD to AFFAN, military and paramilitary representatives, sponsors, and even the international delegate,” Gbayi noted. “It was a deliberate move to entrench himself in power and violated every principle of fair play.”

REPUTATION AT STAKE

Gbayi went further to accuse Dr. Oshodi of acts that allegedly tarnished the federation’s image, including visa racketeering and administrative irregularities that, he said, had damaged Nigeria’s standing within the global judo community.

He condemned Oshodi’s calls for presidential intervention and attempts to undermine the NSC’s authority, describing them as “acts of desperation.”

“The leadership of the NSC should be praised, not vilified,” Gbayi concluded. “If not for their timely intervention, the Nigeria Judo Federation would have descended into chaos and anarchy.”

A DEFINING MOMENT FOR NIGERIAN SPORTS

As the countdown to the elections continues, the NSC’s resolve to enforce discipline, transparency, and fairness will be tested. For many observers, these elections represent a defining moment — one that could reshape the governance and credibility of Nigeria’s sports federations for years to come.

SWAN Disowns Illegal Lagos Election, Petitions IGP, DSS Over Misuse of Security Personnel

...Suspended Members Engaging Thugs, Creating Confusion

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has strongly disowned and condemned the purported election set to be organised in Lagos by suspended members of the association, describing it as illegal, null and void, and a deliberate act of sabotage against the integrity of the body.

The NEC said the only intention of the suspended members of the association is to create confusion, wondering why they leverage the use of thugs to create confusion while colluding with illegal security operatives.

In a firm resolution reached by the NEC and endorsed by the National Secretariat, SWAN reaffirmed that Ms. Olatutu Oladunni and Mr. Bello Omotunde, former Chairperson and Secretary of the Lagos Chapter respectively, remain indefinitely suspended from all activities and structures of the association.

The association has consequently petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), drawing attention to what it described as a dangerous pattern of intimidation, impersonation, and misuse of security operatives by the suspended duo to disrupt peace within the Lagos sporting and journalistic community.

In the petition signed by SWAN National President, Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, and Secretary-General, Amb. Ikenna Okonkwo, the association said the suspended officials are attempting to stage an unauthorised election in Lagos on Thursday, October 9, 2025, despite prior notification of their suspension to both the Lagos State Police Command and the DSS Directorate.

SWAN recalled that during the Lagos SWAN Congress held on September 17, 2025, Ms. Oladunni mobilised more than eleven (11) police vehicles and armed operatives to a peaceful gathering of sports journalists — describing the act as “a brazen show of force, abuse of privilege, and a deliberate attempt to intimidate members.

“The so-called Lagos election is not only illegal but also an affront to the authority of the National Executive Council,” the NEC resolution stated. “The individuals behind this plot have no mandate or legitimacy to act in the name of SWAN. Their continued defiance constitutes gross misconduct and will attract further disciplinary measures.”

The association warned that any security officer or agency that lends support to the illegitimate exercise would be aiding an unlawful activity and undermining the association’s recognised constitutional order.

SWAN therefore, urged the IGP and DG DSS to restrain the suspended officials, maintain neutrality, and prevent any misuse of security institutions in matters internal to professional associations.

Reaffirming its authority, the NEC through the National Secretariat, reserves the power to supervise or approve elections in state chapters, stressing that any activity outside that structure “is null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”

"The NEC of SWAN stands firm in defending the unity, credibility, and sanctity of the association,” the statement added. “We will not permit any act of indiscipline, impersonation, or external interference that threatens our stability and professional integrity.”

The association further assured all members nationwide of its commitment to due process, accountability, and the protection of journalists’ rights, urging them to disregard the actions of the suspended individuals and remain guided by the decisions of the National Executive Council.