Those hoping to occupy the post of Director General of the National Sports Commission may have to wait for quite a long time, The PUNCH
has learnt. Our correspondent learnt on authority that even though some
directors have subtly shown interest in the position, there is yet to
be official declaration of vacancy in the position vacated by Dr.
Patrick Ekeji on April 8.
An aide of the Sports Minister Mr.
Bolaji Abdullahi told our correspondent that President Goodluck Jonathan
is yet to get official statement on the matter from his minister.
“I am not sure that filling up the
position of the DG is of immediate importance as some people view it in
the sports circle. For the much I know concerning that position, the
minister is yet to formally write to the Presidency concerning any
vacancy. That letter will be the first step towards getting a
replacement for Ekeji and so we are still far from there,” he said.
Ekeji retired from the position after
eight years as the administrative head of Nigeria’s highest sports
organ. He had retired years back but was asked to continue on a contract
basis. He handed over to Mustapha Mohammed, the current director of
finance and administration at the NSC.
The aide also said that the Sports
Minister and the NSC officials were currently occupied with so many
events such that the DG’s position had become quite secondary.
“There’s somebody acting in that
capacity now and he is not new to the workings of the commission which
is okay with the minister; there’s nothing to worry about. There’s the
National Council on Sports meeting in Ilorin and after that so many
competitions involving the national football teams. Funding these
programmes is quite a huge challenge and so there are a lot of things to
bother about than that office,” he added.
At the time of Ekeji’s retirement, names
like Mr. Bolaji Ojo-Oba and Al Hassan Yakmut were mentioned as
possible replacement. The pressure by friends campaigning for so many
other candidates who are not even in the Ministry of Sports has gone
down.
The Director General is appointed by the President.
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