[November 20, 2009] Ndanusa Insists He's Eminently Qualified For NOC Job Tweet Abuja, Nov 20, 2009 (This Day/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- The Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Engr. Sani Ndanusa has described his disqualification by the Nigeria Olympic Committee as unrealistic and said that contrary to the reasons advanced for the actions, he remains eminently qualified to contest the position. Reacting to the news of his disqualification, Ndanusa hinted that he has been in sports politics for more than 17 years and therefore was "eminently qualified for the job". The Minister also said that the NOC executive has no right to disqualify a federation election, stressing that it was only the Board of the NOC that can exercise such right. "It is a federation election not an individual election. So they cannot disqualify me. Those who are angling for my disqualification just want to sit-tight and put the NOC in a cupboard. We need to remove the NOC from the shelf. NOC is not one person's committee. We need to develop sports. "If in eight years there is no progress in a section of sports in this country, there is need to make progress. That is the covenant I have signed with Nigerians to change the face of sports. "In over eight years we have not won a single gold medal and I think we need to make a change," the Minister emphasised The NOC Executive had after a closed-door meeting on Wednesday in Lagos disqualified the Minister along with four others from contesting the presidency and other positions. Ndanusa had collected forms to challenge the incumbent, Engr. Habu Gumel at the election slated for next month in Dutse, Jigawa State. The NOC executive committee had 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 polls 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. But Ndanusa lamented that those who are engineering his disqualification are those who do not want changes in the NOC. According to the Official Yearbook of the Confederation of African Tennis CAT) 2008, Ndanusa has been President of Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF) for eight years (2002 to date), Vice President of CAT since 2003 and presently Vice President Zone II West African Tennis Federation (2003 to 2011), and has also been the 3rd Vice President of NOC since 2005 till date. "With all these qualifications, who will say I am not qualified for this job?" the minister queried. However, the NOC executive also queried the letter signed by CAT President Tarak Cherif clarifying Ndanusa's position with the continental body. In that letter dated November 17, 2009, there was no dates indicating the period the Niger State indigene was first appointed and to which position. The NOC is querying the authenticity of the second letter of endorsement of Ndanusa by CAT Zone II also signed by the by the same Cherif. "How come both letters from CAT secretariat and the CAT Zone II are signed by the same person? Beside, why is [email protected] the official e-mail of CAT?" queried the NOC sources last night. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]