By Ado Salisu
As anticipation builds ahead of the forthcoming National Sports Federations elections, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has restated its unwavering commitment to ensuring a transparent, credible, and fair process across all federations in the country.
Speaking exclusively, a senior NSC official emphasized that the Commission remains resolute in upholding integrity and due process — despite what was described as “desperate attempts by certain individuals to manipulate outcomes.”
“No amount of intimidation or blackmail will deter us from doing what is right — not just for a few individuals but for all federations,” the official said with conviction.
He further reaffirmed that the rules and regulations guiding each association, in line with the NSC’s election guidelines and national laws, would be strictly enforced to preserve credibility and restore trust in sports administration.
RESTORING FAITH IN NIGERIAN SPORTS
For the NSC, the upcoming elections represent more than a bureaucratic exercise — they are an opportunity to give Nigerian sports a new lease of life.
Transparency, accountability, and institutional reform are the Commission’s guiding principles as it seeks to strengthen governance within the various federations.
According to the official, past elections conducted under NSC supervision “stood the test of fairness and credibility.” Any attempt to subvert due process this time, he warned, would meet with firm resistance.
“We are determined to meet international standards in this process,” the source stressed. “No individual or group will be considered too powerful to operate outside the established rules.”
The NSC also made clear that, after the elections, all federations are expected to run their affairs independently and professionally, free from external influence — a core pillar of the Commission’s broader reform agenda.
JUDOKA GBAYI COMMENDS NSC’s INTERVENTION IN FEDERATION CRISIS
“If not for their timely action, Judo would have fallen into chaos,” he says.
In another development, the Ogun State Judo Association Chairman, Honourable Omoba Segun Gbayi, has thrown his weight behind the NSC’s intervention in the lingering Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) leadership crisis, calling it “timely, lawful, and necessary.”
Reacting to recent accusations by the ousted NJF President, Dr. Musa Oshodi, Gbayi dismissed the claims as “mischief and blackmail” intended to mislead both the public and the international judo community.
“Dr. Oshodi is only trying to remain relevant after losing influence,” Gbayi told First Zealmediacast. “His claims against the NSC and its Director General, Honourable Bukola Olopade, are baseless and dead on arrival.”
A DISPUTED ELECTION AND A BREACH OF TRUST
According to Gbayi, Dr. Oshodi had unilaterally organized an election and sworn in new board members before the expiration of the existing board’s tenure — a clear violation of NJF statutes and democratic norms.
He explained that the NSC had earlier invited Oshodi to resolve issues arising from a self-authored and unapproved constitution, but the former president ignored reconciliation efforts and went ahead with a controversial election held on September 11, 2025.
“That election excluded key stakeholders — from NAWIS and NAPHER-SD to AFFAN, military and paramilitary representatives, sponsors, and even the international delegate,” Gbayi noted. “It was a deliberate move to entrench himself in power and violated every principle of fair play.”
REPUTATION AT STAKE
Gbayi went further to accuse Dr. Oshodi of acts that allegedly tarnished the federation’s image, including visa racketeering and administrative irregularities that, he said, had damaged Nigeria’s standing within the global judo community.
He condemned Oshodi’s calls for presidential intervention and attempts to undermine the NSC’s authority, describing them as “acts of desperation.”
“The leadership of the NSC should be praised, not vilified,” Gbayi concluded. “If not for their timely intervention, the Nigeria Judo Federation would have descended into chaos and anarchy.”
A DEFINING MOMENT FOR NIGERIAN SPORTS
As the countdown to the elections continues, the NSC’s resolve to enforce discipline, transparency, and fairness will be tested. For many observers, these elections represent a defining moment — one that could reshape the governance and credibility of Nigeria’s sports federations for years to come.
