Government Interference: International Federations To Ban Nigeria In 31 Sports

  Opinion: Government Interference: International Federations To Ban Nigeria In 31 Sports   By Chukwueze Iyke There are strong indications that Nigeria will be ban from attending International Competitions from May. This is following Federal Government interference by Nigeria Sports Minister, Sunday Dare who singlehandedly dissolved democratically elected board members of 31 National Sports Federations on Friday. According to information made available to newsmen on Friday, members of at least 20 National Sports Federations have written letters to their continental and International bodies explaining Sunday Dare's interference in the Sports Federations hereby going against their constitutions. A board member of the Nigeria Judo Federation who spoke on the condition of animosity said said letters have been written to International Judo Federation and in the coming days, the country will be ban from attending various Championship. Another board member of the Nigeria Rowing, Canoeing and Yatching Federation said Nigeria will not be at the forthcoming Tokyo Olympics in July following the decision of the Sports Minister to singlehandedly dissolve the Federation. He said according to the constitution of the international body, government does not have the right to unilaterally dissolve elected board members. A former board member of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation said the Minister decided to leave individuals who they perceive to be loyal to government adding that it is against the constitution to set up a caretaker committee consisting of three members. He said, "It is constitutionally and morally wrong for the Minister to dissolve and set up a three man committee. We are not in a banana republic, the minister should be properly guided as he is on the verge of destroying sports in Nigeria. "I have never heard or seen where a committee will be set up to pilot the affairs of a dissolved Federation. What we have in the past is that the Secretary General of the Federation will be in charge pending when new board members are elected. "Sunday Dare has broken so many bad records during his tenure and he will end up being the worse sports Minister in Nigeria history".