The outgoing President of the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria (GFN) had earlier conducted an election which was later nullified by the National Sports Commission (NSC) for failing to meet the required legal standards.

The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, has promised to address and resolve the leadership crisis currently engulfing the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria.

This follows renewed calls by one of the chairmanship candidates, Alhaja Kafilat Olalere, who insisted on a transparent and all-inclusive election to choose the executives of the federation.

The NSC had fixed dates for fresh elections on two different occasions, but both attempts failed to materialize. This left many delegates—who had converged on Abuja over the weekend to participate in elections into various sporting federations—bewildered and dissatisfied.

Speaking during the elections of other federations under the NSC, held in Abuja, Olopade said he would meet with the two key contenders in the GFN to resolve the crisis.

However, Olalere, who is contesting for the GFN presidency against Kelvin Erunmwase, maintained that the only way to resolve the impasse is to proceed with an election.

She emphasized that only a properly conducted election—one that allows all stakeholders to participate—would be acceptable to her.

Olalere told journalists that elections into other federations had been encouraging and peaceful.

She said:

“We are just not happy that our federation’s election did not hold. That is, the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria. We received correspondence from the Sports Commission that there would be an election on the 25th.

Every delegate who was elected and expected to vote is here. Everybody came from across the nation, only to be told that there would be no election.

But we have not been informed as to why the election is not going to hold. Hopefully, before the end of the entire election process, we will get feedback on when it will be conducted. People have come in from every state of the federation to participate, so we are still waiting. The election is still very much in process—the day is still young.”

Responding to the DG’s promise to resolve the crisis through dialogue between the two candidates, Olalere said:

“No, it has to be an election. We’ve had enough round tables and back-and-forths. The only thing that will resolve this issue once and for all is an election.

Yes, there was a round table meeting before now, but it was inconclusive. If a proposition is made and one party still disagrees, then we must go to the polls.

The election is what determines who wins and who loses. We just want everything to be transparent. We want an election, not a selection.

Stakeholders want to participate in choosing who leads them for the next four years. Disenfranchising any group will not sit well with the gymnastics community.

We need peace and harmony in the next administration, and the only way to achieve that is to allow people to exercise their constitutional right to vote for their preferred candidate.”

Other stakeholders of the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria echoed the same position, stressing that an election is the only way out of the current logjam.

Dr. Ajibola Samson of the Nigeria Association for Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports, and Dance (NAPHER-SD) emphasized that the process must be inclusive, with no group under the federation left out.

Similarly, Richard Jatau (North East Representative), John Abiodun Oyewuwo (South West Representative), and Dr. Oladipo Samuel, a stakeholder from Ekiti, expressed disappointment that the GFN election did not hold as scheduled on Saturday.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved major changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces, appointing new Service Chiefs in a decisive move aimed at strengthening national security architecture.

According to a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, the President named former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede as the new Chief of Defence Staff, replacing General Christopher Musa.

Major-General W. Shaibu has been appointed Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke takes over as Chief of Air Staff, while Rear Admiral I. Abbas is the new Chief of Naval Staff.

The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.

All appointments, the statement said, take immediate effect.

President Tinubu, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, expressed deep appreciation to the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa, and other retired Service Chiefs for their “patriotic service and dedicated leadership” during their tenure.

He charged the newly appointed military heads to justify the confidence reposed in them by demonstrating “enhanced professionalism, vigilance, and comradeship” in the discharge of their duties.

The shake-up in the military hierarchy comes as part of ongoing efforts by the Tinubu administration to reposition the security sector, improve coordination among the services, and sustain momentum in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges across the country.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a fresh application for bail filed by detained alleged terrorists negotiator, Tukur Mohammed Mamu.

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on Wednesday, noted the health complaint by Mamu and held that the detaining authority, the Department of State Services (DSS) should not release him but take him to an appropriate health facility where he would be adequately attended to.

Justice Umar noted that, by the history of the case so far, the prosecution has exhibited diligence in it handling of the case and exhibited diligence in prosecuting the case.

The judge said one of the reasons for granting bail is where the prosecution is not diligent, noting that since the prosecution in this case is diligent, the application for bail cannot be granted.

He subsequently ordered that the defence lawyer should choose the health facility comfortable to the defendant, to which he should be promptly taken.

He also asked the DSS to allow the defendant access to members of his family.

The ruling on Wednesday is the third time the court will reject his application for bail since his was arraigned on March 21, 2023 by the Federal Government on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, among others.

Mamu was arrested on September 7, 2022 by Egyptian security officials at the Cairo International Airport, on reasonable suspicion of financing Boko Haram terrorism activities.

He was alleged to have convinced the terrorists to discuss ransom payments with individual families of the hostages of the train attack instead of the Chief of Defense Staff Committee set up by the Federal Government for his personal financial gain.

He was said to have been nominated by the terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train sometime in March 2022 which took scores of persons hostage.

Mamu was alleged to have collected ransoms on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists from families of hostages, confirmed the amount and facilitated the delivery of same to the terrorists.