Rift erupts in Nigeria over IBA, World Boxing loyalty

While the Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Interim President Azania Omo-Agege says the continent is solidly behind IBA President Umar Kremlev, back home a big rift has erupted in the NBF with the President, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, leading a section of the executive to cross over to the newly-formed World Boxing, a move which has resulted in his 90-day suspension by IBA's Boxing Independent Integrity Unit (BIIU) Tribunal under the chairmanship of Tunisia's Malek Badri.

Minimah was accused of breaching IBA's Constitution, Membership Policy and Ethics code by affiliating with World Boxing.

Azania has dismissed Minimah's dalliance with World Boxing, arguing the President's decision is null and void because the board didn't meet to approve NBF's affiliation to WB.

Azania argues that Minimah has no mandate to speak on behalf of the federation because his term in office has expired.

Azania, who's NBF Vice-President, has now taken over as the Interim President of NBF.

Whether he has grabbed power is difficult to tell for now as the furious exchange of fire rages in the national boxing federation of Africa's most populous nation.

As they they say, a soldier never surrenders but can retreat when the going gets rough to re-strategise.

That's what Lt. Gen. Minimah did.

Now he's firing on all cylinders in a rapid counter-attack to silence Azania and also show him that he still has clout in the executive. Minimah has TKO'd Azania, slapping an indefinite suspension on the towering Azania who has been accused of insurbodination and impersonation as well as forging and printing the NBF letterhead without the approval of the federation.

Read: Russian Kremlev hopes Paris uppercut will give IBA advantage

Azania has, however, laughed off Minimah's suspension describing the move as “the last kicks of a dying horse.”

"NBF operates under IBA, so a suspension from a board operating under World Boxing is null and void," said Azania who is currently wielding a lot of power with the support of IBA President Umar Kremlev.

"As of now, we're waiting for our sports ministry to set up a committee to show us the way forward in the ongoing feud in our federation," said Azania.

Commenting on Africa's support for Kremlev and IBA, Azania said: "Africa is fully behind Kremlev because within the short period he has been in power he has done a lot for us, for instance introducing prize money in the Africa Championships starting with the 2022 tournament in Maputo and this year in Yaounde.

“Our boxers can now be proud of competing for prize money and there's more coming.

"Kremlev has also introduced the Mandela Cup Championships, it was supposed to take place in October but postponed to early next year in Durban, South Africa. Kremlev will also set up academies in Morocco and Uganda.

"World Boxing for now have nothing to offer apart from claiming they'll secure the future of the Olympics. They have very few members, not more than 20, and they don't reflect the face of the world that's why the IOC has not recognised them."

Azania was due to hand over power to the next AFBC President after the elections in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa on Saturday.

He will remain AFBC Deputy President, a position he occupied before being elevated to Interim President following the ouster of former AFBC President Bertrand Mendouga by the Board of Directors for what they said was mismanagement of the continental body and lack of transparency on the financial matters of AFBC.

What is not immediately clear is how Azania will cope up with the ongoing fire in the NBF.

Insiders at the federation told Nation Sport that Azania is fighting a lone battle while Minimah has the backing of majority of Nigeria Boxing Federation's executive committee members.

Tomorrow: Africa’s boxing federations hold continental elections in Addis Ababa. Will they back Umar Kremlev’s IBA or shift alliance to World Boxing?