We remain Gombe SWAN Excos till Feb. 2024 – Chairman
The current leadership of Gombe State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has rubbished the purported dissolution of the chapter allegedly done by SWAN NEC through the Northeastzonal office, noting that the current leadership’s tenure elapses in Feb. 2024.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chairman Mohammed Halilu and the Secretary Peter Uwumarogie and issued to newsmen in Gombe on Thursday.
Halilu said the move to illegally unseat the leadership before the expiration of their tenure was hatched in the state by some vested interest who want to plant their stooge to achieve personal interest.
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“This is to alert the entire sporting populace in Gombe State, Northeast and Nigeria that the Gombe State Executives of SWAN have not been dissolved and that we are unperturbed and unmoved by recent attempt to unconstitutionally evict the leadership of SWAN in the state by vested interest who are neither sports journalists nor have they contributed to the development of SWAN in the state.
“In response to the circular or letter as the case may be, purportedly written by Mr Ahmed Kagana Amshi, SWAN Vice President North East Zone, on behalf of the SWAN National President titled: “DISSOLUTION OF GOMBE SWAN STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE” where Mr Amshi was quoted to have said SWAN has officially dissolved the Gombe State Chapter of the Association, as directed by the National Secretariat and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
“He stated further that the National Executive Committee has constituted a 5-Man Caretaker Committee to oversee the affairs of the chapter for a period of three months until a fresh election will be conducted for the chapter.
The letter reads in part “This action has been taken in accordance with Article 22, sub-section ‘F of the SWAN Statute, as deemed necessary by the NEC.”
Halilu said that the provisions of SWAN Statute has not been duly followed, hence the Executives of Gombe State SWAN *STRONGLY* condemns “this illegal action by Amshi-led leadership and therefore call on the National Secretariat of SWAN to carefully investigate the action of the leadership of SWAN in the zone to avoid this illegal action that most stakeholders in the state have perceived as a “Cash and Carry” move to serve the interest of those who have never covered any sports story on their own or supported SWAN in the state.”
The chairman said the reason cited by Amshi from SWAN Statute, Article 22, sub-section F which reads “The National Executive Committee (NEC) shall have powers to dissolve State Executive Committee for acts *INIMICAL* to the progress and good administration of the Association and present same to the Full Council which shall have powers to sustain or reverse the resolution, had not been interpreted correctly.
“In line with above, we as Executives have not been briefed on how we acted in manner that is INIMICAL to SWAN’s progress in the state as we are committed and have been effectively covering most sporting activities in the state including the two major clubs in the state plying their trade in the NPFL (Gombe United and Doma United).
“In this regard, let the entire sports stakeholders in the state be aware that the Gombe SWAN Caretaker Committee, purportedly being led by one Umar Abdullahi Mahmood of the Gombe Media Corporation, (GMC) is nothing but a hoax and illegality personified.
“We also seize this opportunity to thank the leadership of NUJ, Gombe State Council for its support so far in the struggle to wrestle SWAN from the “claws” of those who are bent on destroying SWAN leadership in the state just their plant theirs.”
