Izuchukwu Okosi
Four days before the Nigeria Olympic Committee’s election slated to hold in Jalingo, Taraba State Thursday, December 15, the incumbent President, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel has cleared the air on why Nigeria does not have a voting right at the International Olympic Committee, IOC.
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Speaking to sports journalists in Asaba, Delta State where the curtains on the National Sports Festival came down on Sunday with a glittering closing ceremony anchored by ace sports journalist, Amar Ignis , Engr Gumel debunked rumours making the rounds that he is preventing Nigeria from having a voting right at the international body.
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“Well, let me make proper clarification, a clarification that Nigeria has no voting right in IOC. This is because IOC selects their members from different countries and those selected are members of IOC in their own countries,” Gumel stated.
“Like me, I was elected in 2009, automatically I became an IOC member in Nigeria. In the whole of 54 countries in Africa, there are just about 15 IOC members.
“IOC is not a United Nations or Africa Union, that every country has a seat. Even when you go for IOC session, it is your name that is there not the name of your country.
“So to say that I am denying Nigeria from getting a vote, Nigeria has no voting right in IOC. The good thing is for me as a representative of IOC in Nigeria to make sure that I contribute in making Nigeria get alot of things from IOC. That is the most important thing.
“It does not mean that when you are president of NOC (in your own country) automatically you are an IOC member, no.
“From what I said earlier, in Africa there are many NOC (National Olympic Committee) presidents that are not IOC members. There are just about 15 IOC members in Africa out of 54 countries. There is no where that I in person blocked Nigeria. Some persons are just ignorant and do not understand the system
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
