By Our Correspondent

Following news of the unfolding $150, 000 (N54, 000, 000) World Athletics grant scandal at Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), two time president of the federation, Solomon Ogba has resigned, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

Mr Ogba who is said to have become an evangelist resigned few ours after news broke that the federation is yet account for $150, 000 it received from World Athletics for support during the 2018 World Athletics Championship held in Asaba, Delta State capital.

While the news of the unaccounted money broke around 8:45 Monday morning, Mr Ogba’s resignation release came in around 11am.

The hasty resignation of the two-time president of the federation took those who are following the development by surprise.

This is because the ministry of youth and sports had expressed resolve to inuguarate Mr Ogba as a board member of the federation since his inauguration has not been carried out since 2017 the new board came into power.

Report on monday said “insinuations are rife that former two-time AFN President, Evangelist Solomon Ogba may be recalled by his constituency, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
Ogba was brought in at the last minute to replace former Olympian, Ahmed Adio to fill the Philanthropist/Ex-Officio slot on the board.

“Ogba hitherto was not inaugurated as a board member when 12 others were inaugurated in July 2017, but officials at the Sports Ministry insist he was originally penciled for the slot and should be inaugurated by the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development.
Many of them feel justice must be served even if delayed for over two years. The rumoured reshuffling by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development could take place as early as this week,” the report said.

Curiously, Mr Ogba resigned two hours after the report.

The impending investigations over the World Athletics body funds which his administration has not accounted for has made him find the nearest exit with the hopes of halting the investigation which is unlikely, according to feelers.

Ogba’s cry about interference by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development at best is a false alarm and an escapist excuse to divert attention from the real issue.

The Ministry under the leadership of the the Minister Mr. Sunday Dare is working to ensure sanity returns to the Sports Federations which necessitated the investigation into the missing $150,000 at the AFN and Solomon Ogba who is also the only board member of the Federation who was not sworn in properly, should have allowed the investigation run its course as he claims to be an advocate of doing things right.

Instead, he chose the most convenient route at this time under the guise of undue interference from the Sports Ministry.

Whatever be the case at this point, due diligence must be taken and the sum of N54 million alleged missing from the federation must be accounted for.

Nigeria athletes and Nigeria sports deserve to know what happened to the money and until that is established, Solomon remains innocent until proven otherwise.