1996 Olympic 4x400m relay silver medalist, Fatimah Yusuf Olukoju, has emerged as the women’s representative on the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), following a closely watched election marked by controversy.
Olukoju secured victory with 30 votes, defeating sports journalist Nneka Anibeze, who garnered 15 votes in the National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS) election held Monday at the Media Centre of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Initially a three-way race, the contest also featured seasoned sports administrator Maria Wophill. However, Wophill was disqualified for failing to meet all electoral guidelines, leaving Olukoju and Anibeze to battle for the single seat.
At the conclusion of voting, the United States-based former athlete Olukoju emerged victorious, strengthening her influence within Nigerian athletics governance.
However, controversy soon followed. Nneka Anibeze, the runner-up, filed a formal petition challenging Olukoju’s eligibility. In her submission, Anibeze cited alleged violations of Article 7 of the AFN Constitution and Article 5 of the National Sports Commission’s guidelines for elections into sports federation boards. She argues that Olukoju’s U.S. residency may contravene key eligibility requirements.
As the Athletics Federation of Nigeria awaits the outcome of the petition, the legitimacy of Olukoju’s Victory remains under scrutiny.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
