Gusau writes AFN, wants to be CAA president

Okowa Tonobok is the new President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA Region II).

Erstwhile president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Shehu Ibrahim Gusau, has indicated interest in contesting the Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) presidency, the highest position in African athletics.

AFN President, Tonobok Okowa, disclosed this during yesterday’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the federation. Okowa revealed to members of the Congress that Gusau has written to seek for nomination and endorsement by the AFN. The former Nigerian lawmaker will be the first Nigerian in over two decades to vie to be President of CAA.

Gusau late last year, lost in his bid to become President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee after the electoral body for the election rejected his candidature. He was reported to have signed his nomination form as the president of the federation. It was also gathered that this same scenario was recreated during the African Region II elections in Ghana, early this month.

Gusau is challenging the legitimacy of the Okowa-led board in court and insists that the June 14 elective congress held in Abuja was illegal and decisions taken thereof including Okowa’s election remain null and void.

Instead, he is claiming that the June 14 elective congress convened by him remains the legitimate one despite World Athletics’ insistence that the 2017 constitution must be used to conduct the election. World Athletics, the NOC and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development have recognised the Okowa-led board as the legitimate board of the AFN.

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