Federation Elections: Judo Stakeholders Root For Police Representative

IKPO IGBINOBA 

As the scramble for places in the boards of sports federations gathers momentum, stakeholders want the Nigeria Police to take the slot for the military/paramilitary.

Hitherto, the slot had oscillated between the Nigeria Army and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The stakeholders who spoke with PM EXPRESS in separate interviews put up a robust argument in support of the Police.

A visibly angry judoka, Emmanuel Audu said the Police had been shortchanged in spite of the role they played in the history of Nigeria judo.

“If any institution should be on the board of the Nigeria Judo Federation, NJF, that institution should be the Nigeria Police”.

“Unfortunately, the Police have been marginalised and completely shut out of Nigeria judo”.

According to Mr. Audu “In the past sixteen years, the slot for the military/paramilitary has been monopolised by the Nigeria Army and the Nigeria Immigration Service”

While reminding Nigerians that the Nigeria Police brought judo to the country almost fifty years ago, the judoka insisted that in the spirit of fair play and justice, the Police should get the slot.

According to him “If the sport authorities are really keen in promoting fair play and justice, there should not be any controversy as to who picks the military/paramilitary slot. It should be for the Police”.

Lending support to Mr. Audu, a judo enthusiast, Alhaji Danbaba Usman said it was a travesty of justice to sideline the police from judo administration.

“Apart from introducing judo to Nigeria, the Police have also contributed a lot to the development of the sport.

“They have a judo team that has enriched national championships with its regular attendance. 

“It is sad to note that the Army and Immigration have monopolised the slot. This is,  simply put, injustice of the highest order and it must be addressed now”.

Alhaji Usman who claims to be an avid follower of the martial art noted that since 1999, only the Army and the Immigration had enjoyed the slot. 

“Since the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999, the Police had been shut out of judo.

“If we consider the contribution of the Nigeria Police to the development of judo, we should be talking of a permanent slot for them in the board.”

He appealed to the sport authorities to ensure that the Police for the very first time got the slot.

A female judo referee who did not want her name in print also made a  case for the Police.

She opined “Having the Police on board will certainly add value to Nigeria judo. I am of this opinion because of how they run their own association, the Nigeria Police Judo Association”.

She added that for the mere fact that since 1999, the slot had been enjoyed by the Army and the Immigration, it should be the turn of the Police in the new board.