By Joel Ajayi
A petition has been submitted to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), the National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS), and the National Sports Commission (NSC) challenging the eligibility of former Nigerian sprinter Fatimah Yusuf Olukoju to contest for the position of NAWIS Representative on the AFN board.
The petition, reportedly authored by Dr. Nneka Anibeze, Olukoju’s sole opponent in the just-concluded elections, alleges that Olukoju does not meet the criteria set forth by the association’s statutes and should have been disqualified from the contest.
In the election held on Monday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Olukoju emerged victorious, securing 30 votes out of 45, while Anibeze garnered 15.
Speaking after the election, Dr. Anibeze expressed dissatisfaction with the process, citing irregularities, including the disqualification of some contestants and delegates.
“Prior to the election, I raised concerns over several irregularities in the voting process,” she said. “Before Maria Wohfi was disqualified, I pointed to Article 7.0 of the AFN guidelines and 5.0 of the National Sports Commission’s guidelines, which state that even if you’re not living in Nigeria, you must provide evidence of residency in the country for at least six months prior to the election.”
According to her, these concerns were ignored by the NAWIS leadership.
“Last night, I told them I would file a protest, and they tried to dissuade me. But I’m not someone who causes trouble—I just wanted a fair process. So I submitted my protest letter and sent it to the Electoral Petition Committee. I also copied the AFN, NAWIS, and the Director-General of the NSC.”
She further alleged that several of her delegates from Gombe, Niger, and Bayelsa states were disqualified without valid reasons.
“They were simply told they weren’t eligible to vote. The ones who did vote are those they couldn’t disqualify because of their standing. But I’ve submitted my protest. My main concern is that she [Olukoju] was not eligible to contest in the first place. I trust the authorities will do justice.”
In response, NAWIS President Mariam Sulieman described the election as free and fair and urged all members to support the winner in advancing the goals of women and girls in sports.
Reacting to the petition, Sulieman stated that the Electoral Committee had not yet officially received any formal complaint. However, the Secretary of the AFN confirmed that a petition had indeed been submitted.
