By Kennedy Pwaspo.
The immediate past Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, has maintained that no human being can stop his reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Responding to questions pertaining to how the sports ministry (which was ladened with crisis in the basketball, athletics and football federations, as well as the Nigeria Football Supporters Club) fared under his leadership, the
former minister insisted that he managed the crisis “effectively” during his tenure.
Also reacting to reports that he’s at loggerheads with stakeholders in the ministry who are opposed to his return as minister, Dalung said, “No, there is nobody born of a woman that can stop my appointment if God wants it to be. I am not carried away by such sentiments”, he said.
He outlined his plans and programs which he hoped to initiate if reappointed as Minister of Sports.
“It’s God that gives power. If He chooses again to give me power, I think I will focus more on consolidating on a very viable grassroots development architecture; I will redirect most of government’s funds to that. The professional athletes will always be compensated for representing the country, but we need to balance things.
“I hope to also de-emphasise the construction of some of the giant sporting infrastructures that we have, as well as align myself with the world by adapting to convertible methods. You can build up a sporting arena, play and still use the venue for another thing. I saw that when we went for the Commonwealth Games (Australia 2018).
“I will try to develop a workable and encompassing relationship between major sports stakeholders and the federations, including the media. I will also work closely with governors as concurrent legislative partners. I have travelled throughout this country and found that some states don’t have any stadium.
“Federations will be made to organise programmes in states and embark on specialisation sports, where every state will develop interest in its own sports”, he narrated.