Just In: Suspended SWAN President, Isaiah Benjamin, Impeached

By Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki

The suspended President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Benjamin, has been impeached. The impeachment was carried out at the end of an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held virtually on Monday, February 26, 2024. The meeting which was presided over by the President, Otuekong Bonny Nyong, had in attendance other members of NEC. In the Communique released after the meeting, NEC adopted and deliberated on the report submitted by the Independent Investigative Committee (IIC) set up to look into the alleged infractions against Benjamin Isaiah. It noted and accepted overwhelmingly the recommendations of the Committee as it became clear that Isaiah Benjamin could not be absolved of blames in the situation that currently plagues the Association, which in turn indicates a failure of leadership. The Committee found him culpable and lacking in maturity to manage the office of the President of SWAN. In the meantime, NEC has called on Isaiah Benjamin to hand over all properties of the Association in his possession within 7 days to the Administrative Secretary. Other critical decisions taken at the meeting saw the approval and appointment of top sports administrator, Gara Gombe, as the new Deputy President and Farouk Bello as National Ex Officio. In addition, the National Executive Committee (NEC) also debunked the purported termination of Gabriel Nwanetanya and Okuwaseun Ajayi-Obe as National Ex-Officio members, stating that both officers remain an integral part of the NEC. Benjamin Isaiah was suspended as SWAN President by the National Executive Committee in January this year, after he was accused of acting against the Statute of the association through a lot of Infractions. In his place, the former National Deputy President, Bonny Nyong, stepped in as President pending the determination of the Independent Investigative Committee's findings on the allegations levelled against Benjamin.