This may not be a good start of the New Year for the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) with looming leadership crisis set to tear the fabric of the association apart.
Independent News Express can report that some members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the association, relying on the relevant statues of the body, convened a NEC Meeting in Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State, south-south Nigeria, to take some crucial decision, that may redefine the future of the association with the major decision centred on the suspension of the incumbent president Isaiah Benjamin, who they alleged abused the oath of office in the administration of SWAN.
However, in a swift reaction, Benjamin issued a press statement on Tuesday to alert state chapters and members of the association that the NEC meeting held in Uyo was illegal, while the decisions reached were null and void.
At the NEC Meeting held from 7-9 in Uyo, it was alleged that Benjamin erred by not convening a physical NEC meeting as demanded by the majority of NEC members owing to critical issues concerning the association and having satisfied Article 15(c) of the SWAN Statute that mandates NEC members to call for meetings whenever the need arises, the Deputy President, Otuekong Bonny Nyong presided over the meeting following a resolution by members.
Though this newspaper cannot confirm the number of the NEC members that attended Uyo meeting, sources privy to the meeting, however, disclosed that nine members were in attendance.
The Communiqué of the meeting was drafted by three-man Committee led by Augustine Ajayi (Chairman), Azuka Chiemeka (Member) and Ijeoma Peter Nwante (Secretary). It was autheticated by Olalekan Ige (National Deputy Secretary General).
Following exhaustive deliberations, NEC in Uyo reversed the suspension of the North West Vice President, Muhammad Mansour Ibrahim by the Benjamin-led executive. It also views the appointment of Lurwanu Idris Malikawa as National Ex-Officio by Benjamin as an error and resolves that this contravenes Article 13(d)(1) and therefore, declares it null and void.
The NEC calls on all the Vice Presidents to ensure that members in their zones revalidate their membership with the Association on or before the end of March 2024 and urges state chapters to channel communications appropriately, while it resolves to support the 2024 revalidation of five (5) members per chapter and endorses the commencement of the payment of monies generated from the annual registration/SWAN card exercise.
The NEC in Uyo urges the National Secretariat to ensure that elections are conducted in line with SWAN Statute. It also agrees that there is no legally constituted executive in Ogun State and calls on the South West Vice President to immediately liaise with the National Secretariat to address the situation.
Following allegations of serious infractions on the Statute by the President and exhaustive deliberations, NEC suspends Isaiah Benjamin as President to enable thorough investigation; for which a 3-member Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) headed by Nura Garba as Chairman, Olatutu Oladunni as Secretary and Foster Chime as member, was set up.
These infractions are: (a) Constituting himself, the Secretary-General and non registered members of the Association into a National Executive Committee, and paying courtesy calls on personalities such as the Honorable Minister of Sports, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Sports and the Governor of Kogi State without regard to legitimate members of NEC thereby breaching Article 8, d(i) & (ii), and Article 6 C(ii) & D(i).
The NEC accused Benjamin of contravening Article 6, particularly 6, g with the appointment of unregistered individuals into committees to carry out SWAN assignments; and also approval and recognition of the Ogun State Executive Committee (SEC) without regard for the provisions of Article 13, a(i) & (ii)
The NEC meeting faulted Benjamin for receiving money on behalf of the association and acting in flagrant disregard for the office of the Financial Secretary; failing to disclose same and appropriately disbursing to those such funds were meant for. A case in point was the sum of Nine hundred thousand naira (N900,000.00) received from the immediate past President, thereby violating Article 11, f(ii),& g(i).
“The President lacks the temperament and has demonstrated inconsistency and incompetence in the management of the Association, particularly the NEC Viz: Lack of knowledge of the Statute: This has led to dragging the office of VPs into disrepute and deliberately employing divide and rule tactics, thereby polarizing the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Association, in violation of Article 11, a, c & d. high-handedness: Arbitrarily undermining the Office of Vice Presidents by directing the state chapter chairmen to ignore the statutory process of communication; against the provisions of Articles 8,e (ii & iii) and 11a, lack of transparency in handling the Association’s funds: As a new administration, it’s expected that before applying inherited funds from a previous administration, the exact amounts across banks should be declared to NEC for proper records and approval for utilization on profitable ventures in line with Article 17(f). To date, Mr. President has failed to carry out this statutory responsibility, arbitrary removal of a serving Vice President of North West from all SWAN WhatsApp platforms and unilaterally suspending the VP without regard for Article 21(1a & c), arbitrarily appointing an Ex-Officio member and unilaterally approving and admitting same as a member of NEC without regard for Articles 13(d) & 23(f), continuous flagrant disrespect, disobedience, and disregard for the statutory positions of constituted majority of the National Executive Committee (NEC) members on issues bordering on the state of the Association without regards for Articles 10(a) & 15(c).”
The NEC mandates the Investigative Committee to conclude its assignment within 90 days and submit its report to the National Secretariat. It directs the Deputy President, Otuekong Bonny Nyong, to take over as President, pending the outcome of the investigative committee.
A press released and signed by the National Secretary of SWAN, Ikenna Okonkwo early on Tuesday, however, described the decisions reached in Uyo as a joke taking too far.
The release reads: “While calling on respected Nigeria sporting media to remain calm, resolute and focused, the SWAN leadership said, “Ordinarily, we wouldn’t bother reacting to any conjured content aimed at smearing the image of the Association but for clarity sake, we want to put on record that there hasn’t been any NEC meeting in January, 2024, just as we rightly informed few days ago that any meeting of National SWAN composition including NEC and Full Council will be after the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.
“So, disregard any communique in circulation laying claims to any form of resolution from the NEC of SWAN.
“SWAN President together with NEC since assumption in office five months ago has been embarking on fruitful steps to write the wrongs of the immediate past leadership which had bastardised the laid down structure of how the Association operates in the past years with uttermost disregard to SWAN statutory standards.
“Be rest assured that no distraction will deter or truncate the ongoing efforts to unite and keep the Association as one in every state of the Federation.
“Also, be informed that all decisions made by SWAN NEC during its last meeting on December 7, 2023 including statutory indefinite suspension of Muhammad Ibrahim Mansur from all SWAN activities over gross misconducts, and the appointment of Alhaji Rilwanu Idris Malikawa as National Ex-Officio as well as his supervisory role for North-West remain.
“By this, as SWAN members, we are enjoined to remain professional in the discharge our duties both at AFCON and anywhere, as the SWAN leadership is always determined to guarantee everybody’s welfare.
“Also, we urge SWAN members to remain much on alert and trash any further move to smear our integrity as Members of Fourth Estate Of the Realm.”
