We have always been working for Rugby from the inception who was my achievement as a Corper in 1998 in the Ministry of Sports. Ever since then, we have always been working to make rugby national sports by spreading it around the country like what we are doing by returning Rugby as a Medal Winning event at the 20th National Sports Festival and National Youth Games.
It is our calling and passion!
The Ministry’s letter clearly states the positions
1. The President removed me & SG & Treasurer without due process & I petitioned the supervising ministry. A panel was set and those mentioned in the petition were invited & appeared except for the Rugby President. He postponed the sitting 3 times, and still refused to honour it.
After all oral & written pieces of evidence were received it was discovered that he was highhanded and not running the Rugby Federation in accordance to the laid down “Code of Governance” which governs all sports federations in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, there were certain infractions in the Rugby Federation which prompted the former Hon. Minister to invite him for a meeting to sort things out & he ignores the invitations FOUR TIMES! The then Minister gave yet another opportunity in the presence of All Federation Presidents, SG & TD’s in Abuja and he still refused to attend. The new Minister came & had familiarity meetings with all Federations, but not with Rugby Federation due to his disposition of disrespect to the Ministry of Sports.
The Panel concluded its work & made its recommendations which include that I was wrongfully removed with no evidence of wrongdoing by any rugby panel & he as the Federation President was asked to reinstate me within 30 Days of the Communication. Thus there is no interference whatsoever coz the board is the one to implement such directives through his leadership.
He is to also implement the other 14 recommendations from the Ministry’s directive within 30 Days, which borders on lack of Good Administration in compliance with the Code Of Governance and the Rugby Constitution which still has to be fine-tuned in line with Nigerian Sports policy.
In the meantime, since he has refused to honour the supervising Minister, he and his illegally appointed Technical Director have been suspended from any Ministry of Sports Activities and Meetings such as the forthcoming National Sports Festival to mention a few with immediate effect pending his cooperation with the Supervising Ministry.
Rugby Federation and 31 other Sporting Federations are under the supervision of the Ministry of Youth & Sports. He can not be bigger than the Minister who inaugurated him as the Rugby Federation President!
It is as simple as that and the Ministry may dissolve the board if there is no appreciable compliance within the stated time given in the letter.
He just wants to operate above the law and there is no room for such. Even the international body will not condone such because of his infractions hinges of lack of “Democratic Good Governance “& financial impropriety!
Thank you.
