Joel Ajayi
Stakeholders across various sports federations have applauded the National Sports Commission (NSC) for introducing a screening initiative for presidential and vice-presidential aspirants ahead of Saturday’s National Sports Federations elections, describing it as a landmark step toward transparency, professionalism, and credible leadership in Nigerian sports.
In the past, elections into sports federations were often described as “all-comers affairs,” where individuals with little or no background in sports found their way into leadership positions.
Determined to correct this trend, the NSC has put in place a screening mechanism to ensure that only individuals with genuine involvement, experience, and passion for sports are allowed to contest for executive positions.
The initiative, which is part of the Commission’s broader reform to sanitize and reposition Nigerian sports, has drawn commendation from aspirants, administrators, and other key stakeholders.
During the screening exercise in Abuja, several presidential candidates expressed appreciation for the NSC’s efforts, calling the process fair, transparent, and long overdue.
The Presidential candidate for the Nigeria Wrestling Federation and Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, praised the Sports Commission for ensuring a peaceful and well-organized build-up to the elections.
“I must say that I’m very impressed with what the Sports Commission has put in place as part of the build-up toward the selection. Unlike what we used to have before, this has been a very peaceful process,” Adeniyi said.
He noted that the platform has allowed federation leaders to engage directly with the Sports Commission and Nigerians, share their visions, and chart a common course for the future of sports in the country.
“We’ve had productive exchanges, reviewed the achievements of the current board, and discussed plans for the next phase. One major positive is the unity within our board, and I hope the same level of cooperation will reflect across other federations,” he added.
Adeniyi also emphasized the need to focus less on politics and more on sports development, in line with the President’s reforms to ensure smooth leadership transitions and growth across all federations.
Similarly, Shettima Mohammed Shagir, a presidential aspirant for the Nigeria Shooting Federation, pledged to transform the sport by promoting grassroots participation and aligning the federation’s goals with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“My decision to contest is to align with the Renewed Hope Agenda and drive the development of shooting as a national sport. Shooting is my passion, and I want to use it as a platform to empower Nigerians at the grassroots,” Shagir said.
He lauded the screening process and the requirement for aspirants to present their manifestos publicly, describing it as a “progressive step toward transparency and accountability.”
“This initiative allows us to explain our vision directly to the people and the Commission. It’s a practice that should continue,” he added.
Aspirants from federations such as tennis, taekwondo, wrestling, boxing, swimming, traditional sports, shooting, handball, and squash also commended the NSC for its proactive leadership and commitment to reform. They noted that the screening process would help strengthen the credibility of the elections and ensure that only qualified, passionate individuals lead the country’s sports federations.
On his own remarked, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Simon Ebohjaye, also highlighted the importance of the new screening process, noting that it marks a historic shift in how federation elections are conducted.
“One of the key provisions in the guidelines for the national sports federation elections is the screening of candidates for President and Vice President positions. This is a noble development by the NSC leadership to change the landscape of sports governance in Nigeria,” Ebohjaye explained.
“It has never been done before. The Commission is determined to know the individuals who will occupy leadership positions in our federations — their backgrounds, credentials, and what they intend to bring to the table. So far, the turnout has been impressive,” he added.
