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Alleged N21bn Renovation of Surulere National Stadium: IMC Chairman Blasts Critics of Sports Minister
….Says detractors don’t understand due process
Joel Ajayi
The Chairman of Interim Management Committee (IMC), Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye has blasted widespread media as well as social media on the criticism that Minister Of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare requested for the sum of N21 billion to rehabilitate the National Stadium, Surulere, in Lagos.
Contrary to this report, it has become important to state clearly that the Ministry has not requested or received any such amount from government or any individual.
The Sports and Youth Minister, Mr. Sunday Dare, in an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos last week, only mentioned the figure as one of the estimated amount from the proposals received which indicates that about that sum would be needed for the complete rehabilitation and upgrade of the national edifice based on submissions made by different companies and contractors.
In a chat with Journalists, while clearing the air on the issue, on Wednesday in Abuja, Elegbeleye said this is the first time he saw a working adopt-a-pitch initiative by the Minister in the history of Nigeria’s sports.
Elegbeleye, who was former National Sports Commission’s Director General with many years of experience in sports administration, expressed that many lack understanding of due process and derived pleasure in bringing people that are doing well down.
According to him, Some people just wake up from the wrong side of the bed, come up and malign people. Once they wake up, the first thing they think is what they would say today to discredit somebody who is performing.
“I was DG, NSC. I have been in the sports industry for years, this is the first time we would see a minister who is interested in facilities, he carried it on his head and is doing It.
“Many don’t know what it takes to renovate a stadium, a stadium is a complete empire of entertainment, not just where you play football alone, there will be shopping-mall, bank, executive lounge, hospital, and we have so many facilities in the stadium.
“The N21 billion is not from the ministry of sports, it’s just an estimate to bring the stadium back to life, what has that got to do with Sunday Dare? It’s just a proposal from a company, as other companies will bring their own.
“This is not the budget time, it’s not in the budget of the Ministry of youth and sports development, it’s a mere proposal from the company and he read it out, where did that one become a problem?
“Again, the Ministry can’t spend such an amount of money to give out the contract without going through the Bureau of Public Procurement BPP.
“I was DG, I know the process, proposals are coming from several companies, BPP will now do their own costing, that is what we call due process system, they will now know the cost of project and approve any one among the proposal that meet up and send it back to the Ministry, who will now send it to the Presidency for Federal Executive Council to discuss, then FEC will now discuss whether to do or not. So, what has that got to do with someone who is Minister.
“Meanwhile the Minister’s tenure is expiring next month, once the government approves it, the project will be for the new administration, not him. What has Chief Sunday Dare got to do with spending of the money, he wouldn’t be there when money is given.
“So, why would people just wake up in their life to keep maligning people, some people are easily for sale, they present themselves as items, commodities for sale so that they can malign people.” He blasted.
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CLTC DG Reaffirms FG’s Dedication to Nurturing Innovative, Productive Nigerian Youth
By Joel Ajayi
The Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Ms. Rinsola Abiola, has reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to raising young Nigerians who are productive, innovative, and imbued with patriotism, service, and integrity.
She gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja in her goodwill message at the ongoing two-day Retreat on Presidential Priorities and Deliverables — 2025 Mid-Term Review, where she also commended the Ministry of Youth Development, led by Hon. Ayodele Olawande, for championing youth-focused initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to Abiola, the retreat provides a unique opportunity to review and realign efforts to ensure that government policies and programmes translate into measurable impact in the lives of Nigerian youths.
“This retreat is both timely and strategic. It provides a platform to collectively review, align, and sharpen our focus on the priorities of Mr. President. More importantly, it allows us to deepen collaboration within the youth development sector to ensure that government policies deliver real change to our young people,” she said.
Highlighting the Centre’s achievements, Abiola disclosed that over 6,000 youths have been trained in value orientation and re-orientation in the just-concluded half-year period. She emphasized that the CLTC, with its long history of building citizenship values, leadership capacity, discipline, and volunteerism, remains steadfast in supporting the Ministry’s mandate and national priorities.
“We see ourselves as partners in this great task of nation-building. Our goal is to raise young Nigerians who are not only productive and innovative but also committed to the spirit of service, patriotism, and integrity,” she added.
Abiola urged stakeholders and participants at the retreat to bring forward actionable strategies that would strengthen coordination, eliminate bottlenecks, and accelerate delivery on presidential mandates.
She concluded by reaffirming CLTC’s readiness to collaborate with the Ministry and other agencies to advance youth development across Nigeria.
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