Crisis hits SWAN as Lagos chapter moves against Sirawoo

Lagos chapter of the Sports Writers association of Nigeria (SWAN), on Friday, passed a vote of no confidence on Honour Sirawoo, National President of SWAN, in its emergency congress held in Lagos.
Sirawoo as President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, refused to endorse the candidacy of veteran journalist, Mitchel Obi, to re-contest for the AIPS Africa Presidency.
The congress held at SWAN Secretariat, National Stadium, Lagos, had in attendance 74 members including veterans from various media organisations.
Fred Edoreh, the Chairman of Lagos chapter, said that the meeting was held to enable members to express their reactions on the “embarrassment” brought to the body by Sirawoo.
Edoreh said that Sirawoo refused to renew the nomination of Mitchel Obi, to contest as President of AIPS Africa and wrote the world body that Nigeria had no candidate.
He added that Sirawoo further wrote that Obi is not a journalist.
He described this as an insult to SWAN, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian public and the African zone of AIPS.
“It became necessary for us to call this emergency congress to discuss and take a position on what action should be taken to respond to the damage brought to SWAN.
“By this attempt, to make us lose leadership of the body of Africa sports journalist, SWAN has, therefore, lost confidence in the leadership of Sirawoo and will no longer submit itself under his authority.’’ He said.
Edoreh added that the chapter had waited for the National Executive Committeee (NEC) to make a statement in reaction to the situation, and perhaps remedy the wrong that Sirawoo had inflicted on SWAN.
According to him, the chapter was, therefore, compelled to let Sirawoo executive know Lagos SWAN’s stand on the situation, thus the resolution of vote of no confidence.
Sirawoo declined to react to the action of Lagos SWAN and asked that the secretary of the association, Olawale Alabi, should react.
Alabi said the Lagos SWAN members have a right to express their views. He said the National Executive Committee of the organisation will meet in Abuja next week.
“What happened in Lagos will be one of the issues to be discussed”, he said.