Philip Shaibu Urges Halt to Political Events at National Stadiums

Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), has demanded that political and religious activities be immediately prohibited at the MKO Abiola National Stadium and other national stadiums nationwide, cautioning that the ongoing use of sports facilities for non-sporting events is hastening their degradation.

In a statement released by his Special Assistant on Media, Ben Ogbemudia, Shaibu made the demand, emphasizing that stadiums were constructed solely for athletes’ training and development and should be maintained for that reason.

He noted that the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium is now the only venue in Nigeria that fully complies with FIFA’s specifications for hosting international matches and voiced concern over the country’s dwindling number of stadiums that fulfill international standards.

The head of NIS recalled his time as Edo State’s Deputy Governor, where he oversaw the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. He said that intentional efforts were made to preserve the facility, particularly the athletics track, which was still under warranty.

He claims that after arguments with Godwin Obaseki, the former governor of Edo State, the situation worsened and Nigerian singer Rema performed in the stadium.

According to Shaibu, the event violated the contractor’s warranty agreement and damaged the facilities by allowing large cars and equipment onto the field.

“Until significant remediation work is completed, the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium can no longer host international matches,” he stated.

In order to preserve and rebuild sporting facilities across the country, he called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National sporting Commission (NSC) to collaborate closely with the NIS.