.AFN Elections Face Legal Storm as Gara-Gombe Alleges Constitutional Breach
By IDNN Political Sports Desk
ABUJA, NIGERIA – June 15, 2025
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is once again under a legal and governance spotlight after outspoken administrator Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe declared the board’s recent elections a constitutional sham, warning that those celebrating electoral victory may have done so in vain.
The elections, held on Thursday, June 12 in Abuja, returned Tonobok Okowa as president alongside two new vice presidents. But Gara-Gombe, who chairs the Gombe State Athletics Association, insists the entire process violated AFN’s internal statutes and ignored a court-issued motion on notice seeking to halt proceedings.
“You can’t rubbish our judicial system and get away with it,” Gara-Gombe told IDNN. “Those claiming board seats today will be shocked when the law takes its course.”
⚖️ LEGAL RED FLAGS RAISED
At the heart of the controversy is Article 10.1.5 of the AFN Constitution, which mandates that state athletics associations receive all relevant congress documents at least 30 days in advance. Gara-Gombe claims this requirement was ignored during both the December 14, 2024 extraordinary congress in Bayelsa and the April 10, 2025 session in Delta State, where key decisions—including the electoral committee formation—were allegedly made in breach.
“Even in the animal kingdom, there are rules,” he added. “Are we now a banana republic where people just do as they please in broad daylight?”
🚫 COURT ORDER IGNORED?
Gara-Gombe also revealed that a Federal High Court bailiff served a motion on notice to halt the elections, but that it was disregarded by both the AFN and relevant bodies. He insists the elections cannot be valid if held in contempt of court, and he plans to pursue legal redress.
This legal angle could render the new board decisions—including the legitimacy of Okowa’s presidency—null and void pending judicial interpretation.
🔁 NSC’s Role and Timeline Shift
The elections were initially set for May 31 in Asaba but were relocated to Abuja after intervention by the National Sports Commission (NSC), who reportedly pushed for a neutral venue. However, this action has not spared the process from criticism over lack of transparency and procedural abuse.
Two former vice presidents, Tafida Gadzama and Rosa Collins-Okah, opted not to seek re-election, adding further intrigue to the internal politics brewing within Nigeria’s athletics leadership.
NEXT STEPS?
With legal papers in motion and a public challenge to the election’s credibility now filed, all eyes will be on how the Sports Ministry, NSC, and courts respond to what may become a defining battle for sports governance in Nigeria.
If upheld, Gara-Gombe’s legal salvo could trigger a complete re-election process, setting a precedent for other federations operating with lax adherence to their own constitutions.
