Tension is brewing in Nigeria’s sports community as the heads of the Judo and Gymnastics Federations have accused the Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, of meddling in their internal elections.
The presidents, Dr. Musa Oshodi of the Judo Federation and Kelvin Erhunmwunse of the Gymnastics Federation, raised the alarm during a press session in Abuja, appealing to President Bola Tinubu to wade into what they described as “unwarranted interference” by the NSC leadership.
Dr. Oshodi expressed deep concern over the state of sports governance in the country, warning that the credibility of Nigeria’s sporting institutions was at stake.
“What’s going on right now is disturbing,” he said. “No responsible sports administrator should interfere in the internal workings of independent federations. The NSC is supposed to serve as a regulator, not a political player.”
He urged President Tinubu to act swiftly, stressing that the credibility and independence of the nation’s sports federations must be preserved.
“We need urgent action from the Presidency to protect the integrity of Nigerian sports. What’s happening now undermines all the reforms we’ve been striving for.”
Echoing similar frustration, Erhunmwunse accused the NSC of sowing confusion and disregarding established rules.
“This chaos is not accidental,” he alleged. “It’s being orchestrated by individuals who have chosen to put personal interest above national progress. We supported the creation of an independent Sports Commission to strengthen our institutions, not weaken them.”
The latest controversy follows a string of interventions by the NSC in recent months, including the suspension and annulment of various federation elections. The commission reportedly halted the Boxing Federation’s election earlier this year over what it described as “irregularities in the timetable,” advising officials to adjust timelines and processes for fairness.
Similar directives were issued to the Judo and Gymnastics Federations after their August congresses, with the NSC citing unresolved constitutional and procedural issues. The commission later nullified their elections in September—along with those of the Shooting Federation—ordering fresh polls to be conducted under its supervision in mid-October.
Defending the decision, Olopade maintained that the interventions were aimed at ensuring transparency and inclusiveness across all federations.
“Every sports body must represent all its constituencies fairly,” he stated. “Inclusiveness is not negotiable.”
But the affected federations insist that such oversight breaches the autonomy guaranteed by international sporting standards and could expose Nigeria to sanctions or reputational damage within global sports circles.
Both presidents have therefore appealed to the President to restore order and reaffirm the independence of Nigeria’s sporting federations before the situation escalates further.
