NSF: Ive been sidelined, says Edo Sports Commission boss Dudu-Orumen

Godwin Dudu-Orumen

By Emmanuel Afonne and Kevin Okunzuwa

Godwin Dudu-Orumen, Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission, on Wednesday in Abuja lamented his exclusion from the 2020 National Sports Festival, tagged Edo 2020.

Dudu-Orumen made the revelation on Wednesday when a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) asked to know the states level of preparation for the festival following the lifting of the ban on contact sports by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

He said that Philip Shuaibu, the Edo Deputy Governor, who is also the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the festival, is the right person to know the preparations.

The Deputy Governor of Edo, Mr Philip Shuaibu, is in a better position to answer questions on the National Sports Festival; I am a spectator.

Statutorily, I am in charge of sports, but politically the deputy governor wont let me do my job; so I am watching.

I am not in a position to say anything on the sports festival because I have no role and the Minister of Youth and Sports Development should be able to tell us if the festival will hold.

The minister should also tell us when it will hold, and if it will not hold, he should tell us why?

Even on the preparation of athletes for the festival, I dont know what is happening because the job was shared to other people, Dudu-Orumen said.

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development had before the lifting of the ban on contact sports, said that the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival would hold, but with only non-contact games.

Meanwhile, Edo Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu has said there is no iota of truth in the claim that he has sidelined Godwin Dudu-Orumen, the Executive Chairman, Edo Sports Commission from his duties as the state prepares to host the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged Edo 2020.

But swiftly, Shuaibu, through Musa Ebomhiana, his Chief Press Secretary, denied the allegation, saying Dudu-Orumen remained the dejure and defacto chairman of the sports commission in the state.

Ebomhiana said : It is unfortunate if Dudu-Orumen said so. As it is today, he is the dejure and defacto chairman of the sports commission in the state.

Nobody has taken over his position. Like I said, he is the dejure and defacto chairman of the sports commission as it stands today.

He is just being economical with the truth. The deputy governor will not descend to the level of taking over his job as chairman of the sports commission.

The chief press secretary, noted that the deputy governor was among those who made Dudu-Orumen the chairman in the first place. The governor and his deputy presided over his appointment.

As the man who superintends sports in the state, he can not descend to the level of taking over the job he himself gave out.

As you are aware, the presidency has announced commencement of contact sports from 19th, which was two days ago.

And you and I know what the situation has been in the past two days across the states.

Theres nothing tangible that has happened for now. And the Council of Sports has to meet to advice Mr President on further pronouncement, he said.

NAN reports that COVID-19 pandemic which led to the suspension of sports activities since March 18, caused the indefinite suspension of the National Sports Festival which was originally scheduled for between March 22 and April 1.

It was also initially moved to between Oct. 3 and Oct. 13 and later scheduled to now hold between Oct. 25 and Nov. 4. (NAN).

Source: NAN News