September 17 - There have been major changes at the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) led by the election as President of former Sports Minister Sani Ndanusa (pictured), a graduate of Loughborough University.


Ndanusa overwhelmingly defeated former President Habu Gumel 23-0.

Ndanusa, a former vice-president, promised to bring stability to the NOC.

He said: "I have been member of the Olympic family for nine years and I will also remain a member of the Olympic family.

"I want everyone that has ideas about how we can move it forward to come and join us in this big assignment.

"I will like to describe this has a victory for the Olympic Family in Nigeria."

Ndanusa, 53, obtained an MSc in Waste and Water Engineering from Loughborough University before returning to Nigeria where he worked for the Niger State Water Board.

He was appointed Minister of Youths, Sports and Social Development in December 2008 but left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet before entering politics.

Ndanusa was vice-president of the Nigerian Tennis Federation (NTF) for four years, and was appointed President of the NTF in 2001 and has been a vice-president of the Confederation of Africa Tennis since 2003.

Ndansua "My goal is to align myself with the Federal Government’s goal of making Nigeria one of the leading 20 countries in [the] 2020 [Olympics].

"We should also be ahead in sports and one barometer to measure that is by our performance at the Olympics."

Nigeria finished 60th in the medals table at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, winning four medal - a silver and three bronze.

They have not won a gold medal since Atlanta in 1996 when Chioma Ajunwa won the women's long jump and the men's team claimed victory in the football tournament.

Ndanusa's election spearheaded a raft of changes at the NOC, including Nigeria's former hockey captain Tunde Popoola defeaing Banji Oladapo for the post of the secretary general.

Jonathan Nnaji, Solomon Ogba and Alhaji Tijani Umar were elected as vice-presidents while Joshua Hamakin was elected deputy secretary general.

Other new executive members on the board are treasurer, Bappa Aliu and Tony Ubani became the new public relations officer of the body after defeating former spokesman Tony Nezianya.

But Nezianya claimed that the elections were illegal.

"It is an affront and in complete contravention of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter, which NOC has sworn to protect," he said.