Stakeholders Move against Gumel’s Reelection as NOC President

With the Elective Congress of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) slated to hold on December 15 in Jalingo, Taraba State, several stakeholders of the Olympic movement in the country are up in arms against the leadership of the body, seeking for a change of guard.

Although all the positions are open for any interested member of the NOC congress to contest, presidents of national associations that constitute majority appear to be rooting for a change in the leadership of the body for fresh air for Nigerian sports.

Those whose opinions were sampled at the weekend want the current leadership of Engr Habu Gumel to give way for a fresh, innovative and idea-oriented Olympic movement.

“Gumel has done his best for Nigerian sports but I think we need a new leadership for fresh ideas. Our sports have remained stagnant for too long under his watch. We need fresh, vibrant young men with fresh ideas to run the Olympic movement in Nigeria,” observed one of the national sports federation presidents at the weekend.

He insisted that after 16 years presiding over the NOC with no visible improvement what else was the former president of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) still looking for, seeking a fifth term?

“He has been there for four terms now which is 16 years. What else is he still looking for with no clear cut development for our sports?” queried the stakeholder who insisted he was not calling for Gumel to go because he is interested in the job.

“I am not interested in contesting for the presidency of the NOC. All that I am asking is a breadth of fresh air.  Sports in modern era are better managed by people with clearer vision and understanding of what obtains in the developed countries. Gumel has been the President of NOC for four terms.  That is already an overkilled in this environment where there are no meaningful development in the sports sector.”

The NOC supervises the sports federations in the country and is fully responsible for the coordination of Nigerian competitors at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and the All Africa Games.

Under the leadership of Gumel, Nigeria lost her Congress membership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He attained membership of the IOC in 2009 and became ineligible to continue after clocking 70 years old on April 1st, 2019.

According to Rule 16.3.3.1 of the Olympics Charter, any IOC member ceases to be a member at the end of the calendar year during which he reaches the age of 70.

“Since he is no longer relevant in the IOC, of what use will he be for Nigeria? His presence in IOC was not even felt here in Nigeria and so we desire a change,” chorused other stakeholders who will be going to Taraba for the polls where a new leadership is expected to emerge.