Irked by roles played by some of its officials in the disputed Athletics Association of Nigeria (AFN) South-East zonal elections last week, the Enugu State government has dissolved its amateur athletics association and asked every member of the board to return the association’s property in their care.

  The state also announced that it would soon constitute a new board to manage the association.

  Enugu State hosted the AFN South-East zonal election last week, which was reportedly won by Innocent Iheme of Abia State, who defeated the incumbent Victor Okorie by three votes to two.

However, reports from the venue alleged that the exercise was marred by intimidation of the candidates, with sounds of gunshots reportedly scaring the participants.

  States like Abia and Enugu complained after the polls that they were not properly represented at the elections, which featured the chairmen of the athletics associations of the five South East states.

  Immediately after the elections, Abia State petitioned the AFN alleging that its representative was not allowed to vote in the polls.

  At the weekend, a source at the Enugu State Athletics Association said that members received letters from the state’s sports ministry informing them of the dissolution of their body.

The letter seen by The Guardian and entitled ‘Notice of immediate dissolution of Enugu State Amateur Athletics Association,’ reads: “I wish to convey to you that the Enugu State Amateur Athletics Association has been dissolved with immediate effect.

  “This became necessary to protect the good image of the ministry/Enugu State government from further embarrassment in the hands of association members who have continued to work/operate at cross purposes with the ministry and sports development in the state as well as other issues about the former chairman.

  “Meanwhile, an interim committee to steer the leadership of the association till further notice has been put in place and will be communicated to the national body (AFN).

  “In view of the above, you are directed to hand over all the properties and other equipment in your care to the director of administration and supplies of the ministry before the close of work on Tuesday, June 10, 2025,” it stated.

  The source, who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian that athletics stakeholders have joined Enugu and Abia states in demanding the cancellation of the elections with a new election to be held in Abuja for security reasons.

 “The general belief is that some people are so desperate to manipulate the elections and get their preferred candidate elected hence they resorted to violence.

  “We believe that those gun-totting men, who intimidated participants at the zonal elections in Enugu, cannot try that in Abuja,” he said.  

  Contacted, an official of the National Sports Commission (NSC) said the body is aware of the disputes in some of the zones of the AFN elections, adding, however, that the NSC would only act when the reports get to its legal department.

  He disclosed that the NSC has inaugurated Election Petitions and Election Appeals committees to uphold the integrity of the ongoing federation elections by ensuring transparency, fairness, and integrity in its conduct.