Wahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, chairman of the Gombe State Athletics Association, has initiated court proceedings aimed at blocking all electoral processes for the executive board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
Gara’s lawsuit names the National Sports Commission, the AFN, and outgoing President Tonobok Okowa, along with Secretary General Israel Inwang, as defendants.
The legal action filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja division, with suit number: FHC/ABJ/05/940/2025, is challenging the legitimacy of recent congresses and demands strict adherence to the AFN constitution prior to any elections taking place.
Central to Gara Gombe’s claims is the alleged violation of Article 10 of the AFN’s constitution, which outlines the proper conduct of congresses. He contends that the congresses held on 10th April 2025 and 14th December 2024 in Bayelsa and Delta State, respectively, were improperly constituted, thereby invalidating all decisions made during and after these meetings.
Among the contested decisions was the establishment of an Electoral Committee to initiate the electoral process. Gara insists that the Extraordinary Congresses convened on the aforementioned dates did not comply with Article 10.1.5 of the AFN 2023 Constitution, which mandates that all congress-related documents be sent to the Secretariat of each State member association at least thirty days before the congress.
Gara argues that any decisions made without following these legal protocols, including those related to elections, are null and void.
Compounding his legal challenges, Gara has also been removed from the AFN’s WhatsApp platform, a decision he asserts infringes upon his rights as chairman representing Gombe State. Article 5 (5.5) of the constitution stipulates that the AFN must ensure no form of unfair discrimination exists or is allowed to develop within athletics, allowing all individuals to participate regardless of gender, race, religion, or political views.
Despite the constitution outlining the process for removing a member from either the board or congress of the federation, Okowa ordered Gara’s exit from the platform unilaterally for demanding transparency and accountability in the federation’s operations.
Additionally, Gara has raised concerns regarding financial mismanagement within the AFN, particularly the collection of affiliation fees into a private account, which he claims lacks transparency.
In his writ of summons, Gara Gombe is calling for an immediate suspension of all election-related activities until the AFN leadership addresses these alleged constitutional violations. His demands further include his reinstatement to the AFN’s WhatsApp group, the release of financial records from the past five years, and the publication of a comprehensive list of board members from all affiliated states.
With these pressing allegations, Gara Gombe’s legal challenge presents a significant obstacle to the AFN’s ongoing elections. The situation also underscores serious governance issues within Nigerian athletics and may have far-reaching implications for the future leadership of the AFN.
