Explosive Showdown: Gara Gombe Demands Accountability Over Lagos Stadium & Rio Olympics Funds

Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, a prominent sports promoter and former Gombe State Football Association chairman, has directly challenged Barr Solomon Dalung, the immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports Development. Gombe urged Dalung to provide comprehensive explanations for decisions made during his ministerial tenure, rather than engaging in public media accusations.

This challenge comes as a direct response to Dalung's characterization of Gombe as a "serial blackmailer" seeking attention. Dalung had referenced Gombe's prior petitions against the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, noting Gombe's subsequent appointments within sports administration despite these criticisms. Gombe clarified that he initially chose to ignore Dalung's recent political pronouncements but felt compelled to speak out after the former minister allegedly attacked him following an interview regarding developments in Nigerian sports.

Gombe expressed deep concern over Dalung's conduct since leaving public office, stating, "I have known Solomon Dalung for many years, and I believe his conduct since leaving office has been troubling. The way he speaks, reacts and carries himself raises serious concerns." He emphasized that his focus was not on Dalung's description of him, but rather on demanding accountability for critical issues that arose during Dalung's time in office.

In a strong call for transparency, Gombe urged key anti-graft and security agencies, including the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS), to launch investigations into what he termed allegations requiring urgent clarification. He underscored the importance of scrutinizing actions taken by public officials for the sake of public interest.

Among the specific issues raised by Gombe is an alleged $300,000 loan, reportedly secured to support Nigeria’s football team during their 2016 Rio Olympics campaign. While the Federal Government allegedly refunded this amount, Gombe highlighted unresolved questions concerning whether the original lender was actually repaid. He asserted, "Nigerians deserve to know what happened," pressing for full disclosure on the matter.

Furthermore, Gombe demanded an explanation regarding the management of facilities at the National Stadium in Lagos during Dalung’s tenure. He specifically referenced a proposed plan to hand over the stadium to former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for renovation, which ultimately did not materialize. "He promised to hand over the Lagos National Stadium to Ambode for renovation, but what happened?" Gombe questioned. He further alleged that Dalung claimed a forged letter from the Presidency prevented the project from proceeding, and he challenged the former minister to produce this purported document and identify its author, stating, "He should bring out the letter and find out who wrote it."

The sports promoter also criticised government agencies, including the ICPC, EFCC, Nigerian Police, and DSS, for what he perceived as a failure to adequately investigate allegations involving public officials. He argued that political affiliation should not grant immunity from scrutiny for individuals who have held public office. Gombe reiterated that his criticisms stemmed from matters of public interest, not personal vendettas, and insisted that all allegations he raised warranted thorough investigation.

To further address these issues, Gombe extended an offer to engage in a public debate with Dalung. He expressed his readiness to present the information at his disposal, allowing the Nigerian public to form their own judgments on the validity and implications of the issues at hand.