By Joan Nnenna Iwuchukwu
President of Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih has advised outgoing president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee, NOC, Mr. HABU Gumel to step aside from the race for presidency of NOC.
He gave the advice while speaking with journalists at the ongoing National Sports Festival, NSF in Asaba, Delta State yesterday.
Mr. Orbih who is also vying for the post of vice president said, “Yes, the NOC election is coming up and I belong to the school of thought which strongly believes that if you keep the same thing over and over you will continue to get the same result. So, for me I am for paradigm shift. Let there be a move away from the past, lets have new people, new hands to come in and try something new, how we can reposition NOC, that is where I stand.”
“For people who have been there for so long we appreciate what they have done. We cannot say they have not done anything. They have tried and we thank them very much, but we feel it is time to step aside and leave the stage and let other people come and try and let’s see how we can do better than what we have done for some time now.
“So, we need a kind of a breath of fresh air in NOC, let’s rejig the place and let’s see how we can do better than what we’ve had in the past. I can tell you for free that that is where I stand and that is what I believe. I don’t believe in over staying once welcome. If you’ve stayed and you have contributed your quarter, and people appreciate what you have done it’s always good you leave when the ovation is loudest, he noted.
The Badminton President continued, “”But if the person insist on not leaving then we go there and do what we need to do. You see change is not something that is constant, so if it is time to change we must make it happen.”
He however disclosed that Mr. Gumel has spent 16 years in the saddle and has nothing to show for it. “The current president has been there for almost sixteen years and he wants to go for another four years. For me, if you have stayed in a place for sixteen years I think it is more than enough time to carry out whatever plans you have for the place, and if after sixteen years there is nothing new you are going to do any more and that is the truth.
“But, unfortunately we are in a place where people shy away from speaking the truth, they shy away from standing for what is right, but I can tell you for free that I am not one of those. If I believe in something I will stand for it even if I am the only one,” he concluded.
