The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has postponed its annual
general congress earlier scheduled to hold on Thursday December 4,2019
in Awka, Anambra State.
In a letter dated Friday November 22, 2019 and signed by its Secretary
General, Prince Adisa Adeniyi Beyioku and addressed to all States
Athletics Associations, the AFN says it was constrained by
circumstances beyond its control to postpone the congress.
โOn behalf of the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, I am
directed to inform you of the postponement of the annual general
congress earlier scheduled for 4th December, 2019 in Awka, Anambra
State due to circumstances beyond our control,โ read the letter to the
States Athletics Associations titled: ‘Re-Invitation To Attend Annual
General Congress of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN.
The AFN further informed that a new date will be communicated to the
state associations and regretted the inconveniences the postponement
may have caused.
Our correspondent however gathered that the postponement may have been
informed by the need to adhere to the letters of the constitution of
the AFN and international best practice.
A chairman of one of the state athletics associations in the South
South region of Nigeria who preferred not to be named told our
correspondent that many of the state athletics associations were
shocked when they received the message for the December 4 ,2019
congress.
โWe knew for an annual general congress to be called, the AFN
constitution stipulates a 60-day notice and the notice sent to us was
dated November 5 which makes it just 29 days to the December 4 date,โ
said the member who expressed his gratitude to the AFN for correcting
its own mistake.
He further revealed that many of the state athletics associations do
not have copies of the constitution and advised the AFN to revisit the
constitution and align it with that of World Athletics, the governing
body for the sport.
โI want the AFN to revisit the constitution, follow the proper
procedure, set up a constitution review committee and send copies to
members of the congress ahead of the congress. This was not done for
the constitution foisted on us in 2017 and I believe proper things
should be done now to have a constitution that aligns with that of
World Athletics (IAAF),โ said the member who referred our
correspondent to a provision in World Athletics constitution which
states thus: ‘In the event of any inconsistency between the
constitution, rules and regulations of a Member Federation and the
Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the IAAF, then to the extent of
that inconsistency, the Constitution, Rules and Regulations of the
IAAF will prevail’.
โI want the AFN to draw up a new constitution and make sure it is not
inconsistent with that of World Athletics,โ he concluded.
