Senate rejects sport minister’s appointment of kinsman

The Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development, on Thursday accused the Minister for Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare of tribalism and nepotism.

The Senate made the remark while rejecting the decision of Dare to appoint his kinsman, Soji Eniade as the Director General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), a parastatal in the Presidency but under the supervision of the Ministry.

The Committee said it was unfair for Dare to appoint his kinsman as the Director General of the Training Centre when the Acting Director General, Oluremi Sola-Phillips who hails from Lagos State has been doing well as the head of the Centre.

The Committee also accused the Sports Minister of previously removing two heads of agencies under the Ministry, including that of the National Sports Institute, and replaced them with people from his State of Oyo State, who are also said to be related to him.

The committee made its stance known when the management of CLTC went to the senate to defend the 2022 budget proposal.

When it was the turn of the Centre to defend its budget, the committee had called for the Director General to begin the budget defence. But, instead of Sola-Phillips taking the podium, Mr. Soji Eniade stood up and introduced himself as the Director General.

The Committee expressed surprise because he was a stranger in their midst. He then told the Committee that he was appointed to the position ‘two days ago,’ adding that though he was the Director General, the Budget would be defended by the Acting Director General.

This submission led to question and answer session. In the process, Mr Eniade said the Minister appointed him as the Centre’s DG and that the appointment came from the President.

Following further questions, Mr Eniade said that he was from Oyo State which raised the curiosity of the Senators.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee, Sen. Obinna Ogba from Ebonyi State recalled that the Minister had previously eased out two heads of parastatals under the Ministry and replaced them with people from his home state of Oyo, including that of the National Sports Institute.

Obinna said it was wrong and abuse of office for the Minister to attempt bypassing the Acting Director General of CLTC who is from Lagos State and to replace him with his kinsman from Oyo State.