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From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The lawmaker representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency (LP Kaduna) and Chairman of House Committee on Sports, Ekene Adams said on Tuesday that as much as it is good to host major championships like the 2027 Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON), that may not be the priority of Nigeria for now.
The lawmaker, who started this while making his position on the development clear in Kaduna clarified that he was not kicking against bidding for the Nations Cup, but the timing of such a step about Nigeria’s current economic realities.
“I can tell you for free that hosting the Nations Cup has to do with building new facilities and renovating stadiums which can only be beneficial to us the stakeholders and Politicians to make more money.
“I don’t think we mean well for the common man if this is our current priority as a Government.
“The common man can hardly feed three times a day with the effect of the subsidy removal and it will not be good to hide under the disguise of Sports and things like this to enrich ourselves at the expense of Nigerians.
“For example, the palliatives the National Assembly approved for Nigerians to cushion the effect of the subsidy hardship have not gotten to Nigerians across the country and the only thing we the stakeholders are concerned about now is wanting to host the AFCON. He queried.
He continued, “And after spending so much money to host this AFCON, we will then leave the facilities dilapidated as usual and the poor maintenance culture story will continue. Before you know it, another Government will come and spend so much on it without any meaningful changes”, he stressed.
Nigeria and Benin are presenting a joint bid to host the 2027 AFCON and the Minister of Sports, Sen. John Enoh will be attending the CAF executive meeting in Cairo, Egypt, for this purpose on Wednesday.
