The leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC) has dismissed reports of internal rancor, stressing that its team remains united and focused on repositioning Nigerian sports.
The Director-General of NSC, Bukola Olopade, gave the clarification on Sunday during a news conference at the ongoing 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State.
A statement by Kehinde Ajayi, Director of Information and Public Relations at NSC, quoted Olopade as saying that circulating rumours of discord were “baseless and misleading.”
“We remain united and focused on our mandate to reposition Nigerian sports. There is no quarrel, no rancor, no division in the leadership of the National Sports Commission.
We are one team, working collaboratively with a shared vision to advance Nigerian sports. Any insinuations to the contrary are unfounded and should be disregarded,” Olopade stated.
He emphasised that cohesion and mutual respect within the leadership were central to driving policies and achieving the Commission’s strategic objectives.
As part of ongoing reforms, Olopade announced that the NSC had formally recognised the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN) as a stakeholder in the governance structure of National Sports Federations. He said this step reinforced the Commission’s commitment to inclusive development and gender representation in sports.
Looking ahead, the DG revealed that the host state for the 10th edition of the National Youth Games would be unveiled at the closing ceremony of the ongoing event, underlining NSC’s forward planning and unity of purpose.
Also speaking, the President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Benjamin, reaffirmed the association’s support for the Commission. He urged media professionals to uphold journalistic integrity and avoid spreading divisive or inaccurate narratives.
Olopade was flanked at the news conference by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports, Adeboye Adeyinka, and the SWAN President.
(NAN)