AFN petitions Police, demand for Criminal investigation of Gusau over Puma deal as new evidence emerge
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has written to the Police, demanding a criminal investigation be instituted against its impeached president, Shehu Ibrahim Gusau over a deal signed with sportswear manufacturer, PUMA in July of last year among other accusations.
In the petition, addressed to the Inspector General of Police and signed by the Secretary General of AFN, Prince Adisa Beyioku, the Athletics body accused Gusau of signing the deal with PUMA, without the knowledge of the body and without seeking the approval of the board of the Federation, in breach of the AFN constitution.
Citing the contravened article as 8.7.2 of the AFN constitution to wit articles 4.4.2,4.4.3 and 4.4.4 of the National Sports Federations Code of Governance 2017 recognised by the AFN constitution, they accused Gusau and Sunday Adeleye, the then Technical Director of the AFN of signing the deal on behalf of the Federation without the knowledge and signature of the Secretary General who is its Chief Administrative and Chief Accounting Officer who must be privy to all decisions of the AFN thereby contravening articles 4.4.2 and 4.4.4 of the National Sports Federations Code of Governance 2017.
Other accusations levelled against the former president include: nominating a private bank account, Dynamic Sporting Solutions owned by Sunday Adeleye for lodgement of payments made by PUMA on behalf of the Federation, in clear breach of the AFN constitution which makes the Secretary General the ‘A’ signatory to the Federation ’s bank account and in breach of Nigeria’s extant laws.
The Federation attached a copy of a letter dated February 13,2020, received from PUMA which revealed some details of the contract and a report of its investigative committee which gave a comprehensive report of criminal misappropriation of the Federation ’s funds by Gusau, leading to partial or non-payment of allowances to athletes despite budgetary approval and release of such funds, for full investigation by the Police