Court Order: Sports Minister Refuses to Swear in HFN Board

 The minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi this afternoon refused to swear in the board of Handball Federation of Nigeria due to court order from Federal High Court Abuja restraining him from inaugurating the board.

The minister who had been accused by some stakeholders for allegedly favouring his cronies in the process leading to the final election said that he won’t go against the court order adding that due process and rule of law must be adhered to.

In a quick reaction, the National Coordinator Mega Handball Veterans Mr. Nicholas Nwani, the stakeholder group that got the court order, commended the Minister for doing what was expected of a personality holding such exalted office saying that the effort of the group is geared towards ensuring that the right thing is done.

He regretted that they were pushed to the level of seeking redress in the court stating that it was the inability of the National Sports Commission to follow their guidelines that resulted to the current impasse.

“I am happy that the minister has decided to listen to the voice of reason and follow the line of justice”

“I sincerely believe that the game of handball will emerge victorious after this struggle because it will send a strong message to the board and National Sports Commission that impunity doesn’t pay rather due process and total adherence to guidelines remain the bases that will produce a credible leadership”

“Finally, I would like to use this opportunity to call on handball stakeholders to remain steadfast and support the struggle to develop handball in Nigeria” he concluded.

Meanwhile, in adherence to the court order, the board members of Handball Federation of Nigeria including the president Alhaji Yusuf Dauda were all absent at the venue of the swearing in ceremony today.

One of the board members who spoke on condition of anonymity regretted the problem National Sports Commission has caused saying that they would have allowed the process to play out on its own to a logical conclusion instead of this undue interference that is currently drawing everybody back.

He pleaded with the Mega Handball Veterans to sheath their sword and come to a round table for amicable settlement of the current crisis.