Saturday, the 25th of October, 2025 could be described as a day of celebration for those that won but for some, it was a sorrowful day as elections into Sports Federations took place at the Package B of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Simon Nkom was reelected as the President of the Hockey Federation. He first came on board as President four years ago and was re-elected unopposed because of his outstanding performance during his first term.
On the other hand, the duo of Commodore Mohammed Shettima and Victor Ochei are just coming into the Federations for the first time. Shettima defeated the incumbent President, Ayotunde by 8 to 5 to become the new Shooting Federation President while Ochei came on board, being the only man standing, won unopposed to replace the former President, Ifedayo Akindoju who passed on lately.
The former Speaker of the Delta House of Assembly won all the votes cast to emerge as the new Tennis President.
However, there was drama in boxing as the man contesting for the Vice President position was initially denied access to contest because of the Minister of Finance, Mr. Adebayo Olawale Edun who contested for the position of President, is from the same State with Omonlei Imadu.
Imadu, a boxing promoter was told to step down but after intervention by the delegate and other stakeholders, he was allowed to contest and eventually won. After his emergence, there was celebration everywhere amongst boxing followers and almost disrupted the remaining electioneering process.
Those who spoke with our correspondent said, the CEO of Yucateco Boxing Promotions, who initiated the first-ever amateur boxing league in Africa has been spending his hard-earned money for the promotion of boxing hence deserves to be on the board so that he can do more.
One Matthew said, “The man hosted the first ever WBC-ABU Amateur Tournament in Lagos this year and has spent over N300 million promoting boxing. If this election had taken place in Lagos, the whole place would have been jam-packed with his supporters.” Meanwhile, Imadu said, he with the support of the President will take boxing to other parts of the country.
Also emerging is the current Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as President of the Wrestling Federation. Former President, Daniel Igali is also part of the new board representing South South Zone.
Dr. Ademola Are was also reelected as the President of the Nigeria Rugby Federation while Iyorhe Grace emerged as vice president.
The surprise package of all is the emergence of Senator Obinna Ogba as president of the Traditional Sports. Obinna who was once a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and Chairman of the Nigerian National League, NNL is now the one in charge of trado sports unseating the former President, Agbadabina Olomo Perekiye, who stepped down for him.
Elections into kickboxing did not take place while Gymnastics and Judo will be re-conducted because of complaints from some quarters.
The Federation Presidents were later inaugurated. Those inaugurated on Saturday were Wrestling, Boxing, Cricket, Hockey, Tennis, Shooting, Squash, Rugby, Swimming, Volleyball, Traditional Sports, Handball, Deaf Sports, Scrabble, Aquatic, Taekwondo amongst others.
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