The Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State Government has kicked against the indefinite postponement of the National Sports Festival (NSF) holding in the state capital.
Igbere TV had reported the suspension of the Sports Festival before it was rescheduled for December 2020, following the easing of COVID19-imposed lockdown.
The National Sports Festival tagged ‘Edo 2020’ was initially scheduled to hold in March but was postponed to December for the first time due to emergence of COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, however, rejected the December 3 new date for commencement of the Festival which was billed to hold in Benin City.
The PTF said it has written to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports and host, the Edo State Government to postpone the much anticipated Festival, for the second time.
Reacting, Chairman, Organising Committee who doubles as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Phillip Shuaibu, frowned at the turning down of the kick-off date of the Festival which supposed to start on December 5th.
Addressing newsmen in Benin City, the Edo state capital, Phillip said; “How can PTF who approved that we can now start contact sports, the same PTF approves opening of NYSC camps across the country. The same PTF approves that we can all go to churches and mosques. All the market places are opened and you say we can not hold National Sports Festival.
“Now, this is sports where we can control the crowd that comes to the stadium”, he concluded.
Igbere TV recalls that the PTF on COVID-19 lifted ban on contact sports in October, 2020 and that paved the way for the Ministry of Sports and Edo State Government to come up with December 3rd to 18th date for the ‘Edo 2020’ Festival.
With this new development, the much awaited National Sports Festival will no longer hold this year. This will bring up many issues as many States in Nigeria had commenced close camping of their athletes before the announcement on Tuesday.
