By Seun Oyediji 

The Nigeria Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS) has dismissed as baseless and misleading the allegations raised by sports journalist Olukayode Thomas regarding the recently concluded election to determine the association’s representative on the Board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Oluwafunmike Kanjuni, NAWIS stated that the election — which saw Olympian Fatima Yusuf Olukoju defeat Dr. Nneka Anibeze by 30 votes to 15 — was conducted in strict accordance with its constitution and had the endorsement of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Reacting to Thomas’s claims that the election was a sham marred by the disqualification of delegates from Bayelsa, Gombe, and other states, and that electoral committee members voted in violation of standard norms, NAWIS maintained that all decisions were guided by eligibility documentation and constitutional rights.

“Claims that some delegates were disqualified for being ‘stubborn’ are entirely false,” the association said. “No delegate was disqualified based on sentiment or state affiliation. All non-accreditations were due to lack of required documentation or non-compliance with the eligibility criteria.”

Thomas had also alleged that the Congress was turned into a “stage for manipulation,” where women were forced into silence and dissenters were shut down. He went as far as comparing the election controversy to the June 12 democratic struggle and likened Dr. Anibeze’s situation to that of late Chief MKO Abiola — a comparison NAWIS described as “reckless and deeply insulting.”

“The use of historical political struggles to paint a picture of victimhood is not only inappropriate but grossly irresponsible,” the statement added. “This was an elective Congress for women in sport, not a national revolution.”

NAWIS also accused Thomas of disruptive behavior during the Congress, stating that while he was allowed to speak, he quickly lost the floor due to what it described as “emotional outbursts and attempts to derail the process.”

“The continued peddling of these distortions is not only unprofessional but harmful to the integrity of Nigerian sports administration,” NAWIS emphasized.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, inclusion, and women’s advancement in sports, the association called on all genuine stakeholders to accept the outcome and work collectively towards progress.

“We consider this matter closed and will not be distracted by those whose motives are clearly driven by personal disappointment rather than any principled concern for democracy or fairness,” the statement concluded.