Lagos — Almost 16 years after the turmoil that engulfed the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) over succession process, an affiliate of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) may be heading for another long battle following the disqualification of the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Engr. Sani Mohammed Ndanusa from contesting the presidency against the incumbent, Engr. Habu Gumel.

NOC executive who met behind closed doors for four hours yesterday reached the decision to disqualify the NSC boss along with four others for not fulfilling all the requirements for the election slated for next month in Dutse, Jigawa State.

The NOC executive committee also nullified the election that returned Ndanusa as the president of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) for not fulfilling an aspect of the NSC guideline that requires all contestants to be physically present at the election venue in Abuja. While the electoral officials from the NSC waived that requirement for Ndanusa who was in China at the time, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, chairman of the DAAR Communications group who was favoured to be elected to lead the Wrestling Federation of Nigeria was disqualified on the same ground.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the NOC, Mr. Tony Nezianya, Ndanusa also failed to meet the statutory requirement of Article 26:1:2 of the body to contest the office of the President of the NOC. Article 26:1:2 of the NOC constitution requires contestant for the Presidency to have served in an executive position or at the level of a commission of an International Federation, Continental Federation or the CGF for a period of at least 4 years.

"The world is a global village and information gathering has become a simple task. Ndanusa was elected as the 1st Vice President of Confederation of African Tennis only on the 20th of June 2007 at Hotel El Mouradi Gammocrth Tunis, Tunisia and did not meet the Mandatory 4 years required," stressed the NOC spokesman.

Other candidates also disqualified yesterday include: Navy Captain Babatunde Adedimeji, Professor Olakitan De Souza and Bappa Aliu Missau.

Both Adedeji and De Souza were vying for the position of Secretary General in which incumbent Banji Oladapo is seeking a re-election.

While Adedeji could not meet the mandatory requirement for the position by virtue of not serving for at least two years as an elective or in the Commission of an International Federation, Continental Federation or CGF, De Souza's quest was dashed because he submitted his application late. Beside, he was not listed as a member of the board of the Judo Federation, which he claimed in his application.

In the case of Missau, who was seeking the post of the NOC Treasurer, his disqualification was hinged on the fact that he was co-opted into Hockey Federation for the purpose of election.

"He actually is a member of a non-Olympic sport - Cricket as stated in the published member list of the National Sports Federation of June 9th 2009.

However, Missau who stormed out of the meeting yesterday with a vow to contest his dis- qualification at the law court said that the last has not been heard on the matter.

"I will ensure that the election in Dutse, Jigawa State on December 9 is stalled because this injustice meted on me must be fought to a logical conclusion," he told horde of reporters who laid siege at the NOC Secretariat of the meeting.

Nezianya however fired back later that the NSC's General Administrative Guidelines Article 19.1 was very clear on the issue of co-opting board members. "Federations shall not co-opt more than three persons with specialized skills. The commission shall be informed accordingly and not later than two weeks after the decision is taken. Such co-opted members shall have no voting rights. The remuneration of such members shall be determined and borne by the federation."

Former President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Olu Amadasun also had his application disqualified for not meeting the deadline stipulated for submission. In readiness for the long battle, the NOC, which criticized the poor preparation of the country ahead of next year's Commonwealth Game in India, stressed the independence of the Olympic movement. " It is neither a parastatal nor an extension of the Sports Commission."

"It is an autonomous body registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria. The NOC is a partner of the NSC. The relationship is symbiotic and not a boss /boy relationship,"

In the stormy reign of Alhaji Raheem Adejumo as NOC president, the octogenarian was embroiled in a long battle with the then NSC boss, Chief Alex Akinyele. Adejumo's 'foot soldiers' included the late Saheed Lawal, the then NOC scribe, Eddie Aderinokun and Engr. Dotun Segun. They were all upstaged from sports administration in the country for taking side with him.

However, in 1997, shortly after the Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Sports Ministry under Chief Jim Nwobodo, mastered the politics of the Olympic movement by installing Brigadier General Adamu Dyeri (Rtd) as Adejumo's successor at a contrived election at Sheraton Hotel in Lagos to end the stalemate. All the romance between the NOC and the NSC appeared to have ended with yesterday's open declaration of hostilities against Ndanusa.