Former Chairman of the Gombe Football Association, Shuaibu Ahmed Gara-Gombe, has issued a stern warning to the Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, against interfering in the elections of sports federations. Gara-Gombe’s remarks follow Enoh’s recent threats to remove federation officials deemed ineffective after Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Gara-Gombe criticized the minister’s approach, especially in light of the N9 billion budget that was reportedly squandered. He expressed concern that such interference could provoke the ire of international bodies affiliated with the federations. While supporting Enoh’s goal to place capable individuals in key positions, Gara-Gombe advised against meddling in federation elections.
“I agree with the minister’s intention to ensure qualified people hold key federation positions, but he must avoid interfering with their elections to prevent conflict with international bodies. His role should be to ensure the right candidates are appointed, not to interfere directly in the electoral process,” Gara-Gombe stated on Channels Television.
He also highlighted the lack of accountability regarding the National Olympic Committee’s use of funds, noting that Nigeria’s failure to secure a medal at the Paris Games represents the eighth time in 19 Olympic appearances that the country has returned empty-handed.
Minister Enoh expressed frustration with the outcome, acknowledging that Nigeria’s performance at the Olympics fell short of expectations. He apologized to Nigerians and vowed to assess what went wrong before the Paralympic Games.
“The Olympics in Paris 2024 did not meet our objectives or the hopes of Nigerians. Despite ensuring that funds were available and all necessary support was provided, our performance was disappointing,” Enoh said in a statement.
Enoh also criticized the federations for focusing more on qualification than on adequate preparation for the Games. He noted that meetings and strategies were limited to federations with strong chances of qualifying, but the prioritization of qualification over preparation was evident.
“This issue of prioritizing qualification over preparation must be addressed,” Enoh added.
