By Ben Efe, 25-5-2025
Itiako Ikpokpo is the man giving all aspirants to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria exalted chair a scare after he was endorsed by the Delta State government to proceed with his ambition.
It was gathered that the Delta State Sports Commission headed by Onos Oborevworie gave a stamp of authority for Mr. Ikpokpo popularly known as Malik with a letter authorising him to contest from the South South zone representative on the board of the AFN. It also learnt that the secretary to the Delta State Athletics Association has been authorised as the man to cast the vote during the elections.
This came as a rude shock to Delta AA chairman Solomon Ogba who is now fighting tooth and nail to reverse the decision of the Delta State Sports Commission to blindside him in the decision to endorse Mr. Ikpokpo and also deny him the right to vote.
Speaking Sunday when asked to confirm if Delta has indeed given him the nod Mr. Ikpokpo said: “It is true that I have the backing of the Delta State government.
“For me it is not about politics, but it’s about charting a new course for our beloved sport track and field.
“Some say that I am new to the terrain, I want to remind that the previously elected presidents in recent times were not into track and field when they got elected.”
He added that he was equal to the task of rebranding Nigerian athletics and also to make the AFN a result-oriented federation.”
Meanwhile at the National Sports Festival the prospective candidates for the AFN board and other positions have stepped up their campaign to woo delegates for the elective congress billed for the second week of June.
Incumbent AFN president Tonobok Okowa was seen at the venue, so was Mr. Sunday Adeleye a former technical director of the AFN. They are both confident that they can muster enough support to be president of the federation.
