Former president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engineer Abu Gumel has explained that he withdrew from the body’s elections held yesterday at the National Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria, to allow peace to reign.
Before the elections were about to start, Gumel quickly announced his withdrawal which paved way for the former Sports Minister, Engineer Sani Ndanusa to emerge as the new president of the NOC. Gumel told journalists that having served the body for some years; he considered it necessary to give other people the chance to continue where he stopped.
He disclosed that he intentionally withdrew from the elections, not because he was afraid to contest, but to give Ndanusa, who is president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF to contribute his quota to the Olympic family.
“My withdrawal did not mean I am a coward, rather I want to allow peace to reign in Nigerian sports. As a member of International Olympic Committee, IOC, I will continue to give my support to the new executives and Insha Allah, Nigerian sports will change for better,†he said.
—Sunday Akintoye
