The former Chairman of the Gombe Athletics Association, Ahmed Gara-Gombe has questioned the Sports management capacity and competence of the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to administer the Sports in the country.
Gombe, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Athletes and other Sports Development Initiative, a registered NGO that advocates for Accountability, Transperency and Good Governance in sports, raised this poser in a statement made available to Journalists in Abuja .
He argued that the NSC DG, Bukola Olopade has shown a lack of sports management capacity and the necessary competence needed to manage sports in Nigeria.
Gombe stated that his position was informed by some steps taken so far by the DG, and further alleged that he has failed to resign his position as Managing Director of his Marketing Company (Nilayo) after he was appointed as DG National Sports Commission, which is against the established civil service rules.
The former Gombe FA Chairman also alleged that Olopade is abusing his office as DG NSC by promoting Nilayo company for which he is the Managing Director and Shareholder, as emperical evidence by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) shows that he did not resign his position as MD of Nilayo Sports Marketing Company.
Gara-Gombe argued that Olopade only named his wife as replacement but alleged that he is still carrying Nilayo Sports about, marketing and using the company to win contracts and “We are taking him to court” to answer to this allegation.
He argued that the DG was seen with Enugu State Governor and officials in a group photograph, where Gombe alleged Enugu State handed over the marketing and promotion of the National Sports Festival coming to the State to Nilayo Sports Marketing Company. He also added there are other events he has been going round the States promoting his company unguided”
Gombe further pointed out that “It’s nearly a month now since Bukola Olopade, the current Director General and Chief Executive of the National Sports Commission, threatened to sue me and Channels Television, if Channels did not withdraw the interview I had with them, in which I mentioned that Bukola Olopade was under investigation by the EFCC”.
“He has consistently declined to honour previous invitations by the EFCC, and no action is being taken”.
Gombe challenged the NSC DG to initiate the legal proceedings , stating “I informed Channels that if they withdraw the interview, I would challenge them on account of the threat against me”.
“I reiterate, Olopade is under investigation”. Moreover, he has already commenced a defamation lawsuit against me in Lagos. “Whatever that implies, we are waiting, and I have instructed my lawyers to respond”, since he alleged that I defamed him and Nilayo Sports Marketing Company.
Gombe wondered whether he is the MD of Nilayo or the DG of the National Sports Commission?
He also threatened to drag Nilayo Marketing and some of their sponsors to court over some unpaid allowances and prize money of some athletes both local and foreign, which has made some athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia alleging that Nigerians organise fraudulent competitions.
