AFN Disowns Pepple, Denies Knowledge of Any Congress

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has said it has disowned one S. Y Pepple who is claiming to be the Director General of the federation when the position does not exist in the constitution of the governing body for track and field in Nigeria.

Athletics stakeholders including state athletics associations have thus be warned to disregard any letter sent by the said Pepple inviting them to an extradordinary congress in Abuja later this week.
”The attention of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has been drawn to a letter written by one SY Pepple who claims to be the Director General of the federation to states Athletics Associations inviting them to a virtual Extraordinary Congress,” the AFN said in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Prince Adeniyi Beyioku.

The federation referred to the reconciliation meeting held at the instance of the World Athletics and Confederation of African Athletics in April in Abuja where it was resolved that the constitution adopted on November 16, 2017 at the congress of the AFN presided over by Mr Shehu Ibrahim Gusau is the only working document for the federation.

The AFN insisted that the position of Director General which Mr Pepple is laying claim to is not enshrined in its constitution.

”It is important to know that the Secretary General is the Chief Administrative and Chief Accounting Officer of the Federation. There is no nomenclature as the Director General in the AFN Constitution of 2017. It is only the Secretary General that has the sole authority to issue letters on behalf of the Federation. Articles 6.1.4 and 6.3.8 of the constitution made it very clear the role of the Secretary General in the convening and planning of the congress,’ the AFN affirmed in the statement.

The AFN also affirm that the said Mr Pepple is not even qualified to be the chief accounting and administrative officer of the federation as he is neither a graduate of Physical & Health Education nor Sports Administration or its equivalent and has thus not met the criteria for employment as the chief executive officer of the AFN as contained in the AFN constitution.

The federation advice all stakeholders not to honour any letter signed by SY Pepple and reiterates that elections into the Board of the Federation will follow the roadmap adopted at the intervention meeting upon its adoption by the World Athletics.