World Boxing Federation (WBF), cruiserweight champion, Nigerian Bashiru Lawrence Ali, OON, has said that there is no iota of truth in a story purportedly carried by an online media platform that the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung allegedly diverted the sum of N7.2 billion meant for the organisation of the Guinness Book of World Record Boxing Championship.
Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman-led Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) based in Lagos said in the publication that the sum of N7.2billion was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Sports Ministry for the promotion of a world boxing championship bout which involves a former world cruiser-weight champion, Mr. Bashiru Alli popularly known as Bash Alli.
But in a swift reaction Tuesday afternoon, Bash Ali told P.M.EXPRESS that he did not grant any interview where he accused the Minister of diverting the fight money, adding that all what the Executive Director of CHRSJ claimed in the media report was not originated from him or anybody from his camp.
He said the only problem he had with Dalung was his reluctant to call for the meeting of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), which the Sports Minister had graciously did and it will hold on 21 May, 2019 in Abuja.
“I have read through the said report and I didn’t see anywhere they have quoted me? Where did the N7B come from? Did they not say some sports people are the complaint? The story does not make sense and as you know, I don’t need anybody to fight my battle. if it is true that the Minister is sitting on N7B, I am just now hearing it for the first time and I have said it times without number that Dalung has never asked me for a kobo so the case is closed. I think these people just want to make headline with my name… simple,” Bash told P.M.EXPRESS.