The vote is set to take place at the organisation's Congress in Jalingo on December 15.

Gumel, an honorary International Olympic Committee (IOC) member since 2009, has been under fire and blamed for declining fortunes in the NOC.

"Gumel is a perfect gentleman and an astute civil engineer but he is not moving us forward and he has to move on and leave the administration of NOC for more vibrant young men in the industry," a member of the opposition told the New Telegraph.

"There is no sentiment about it, the NOC needs a change."

Gumel has served two terms as President, from 2002 until 2010 and then 2014 until present, and is on the ballot again.

In 2009, Gumel was challenged for the Presidency by then Sports Minister Sani Ndanusa.

However, the NOC screening committee disqualified him on the basis that documents he had submitted were allegedly "forged, altered and not dated."

Ndanusa responded by suspending Gumel from his post as President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation and setting up an inquiry into the allegations.

"As stakeholders and observers, we are looking with keen interest as contestants for various positions prepare to test their popularity at the NOC polls slated for Jalingo and it's interesting that the guidelines for the elections have been released and the document underlines the intention to conduct a free, fair and credible elections," an anonymous National Federation President said, as reported by the New Telegraph.

"But it becomes imperative to do an assessment of the outgoing executives especially the office of the NOC President because an assessment of his last eight years in office does not suggest that picking a form for the forthcoming election would be a wise idea."